Page 91 - Saints of the Month: February

Saints of the Month: February

Pasionist student; renowned for sanctity and
miracles; born at Assisi, 1 March, 1838; died
27 February, 1862, at Isola di Gran Sasso,
Province of Abruzzo, Italy; son of Sante
Possenti and Agnes Frisciotti; received
baptism on the day of his birth and was
called Francesco, the name by which he was
known before entering religion, educated at
the Christian Brothers’ School, and at the
Jesuit college at Spoleto. Immediately after
the completion of his secular education, he
embraced the religious state; on 21
September, 1856 he was clothed with the
Passionist habit, and received the name
of Gabriele dell’ Addolorata. He made his
religious profession on 22 September, 1857,
and then began his ecclesiastical studies as
a Passionist student. He was gifted with
talent of a higher order and with a
wonderful memory; and in his exact
observance of rule, his spirit of prayer, and
his fervent devotion to the Passion of our
Lord, to the Holy Eucharist, and to the
Dolours of the Blessed Virgin. In the sixth
year of his religious life he died of
consumption; his death was that of the just,
holy and edifying, and he was buried in the
church attached to the retreat at Isola di
Gran Sasso where his remains are still
entombed, and where numerous prodigies
have been wrought, and numerous
conversions effected, through his
intercession.

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