Portal:Catholic Church/Patron Archive/May 31 2007

Saint Felice da Nicosia (Felix of Nicosia) was born in Nicosia, Sicily, on November 5, 1715 he was a Capuchin friar, and is a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.

As a young boy, Felix worked in the workshop of a shoemaker, close to a nearby Capuchin friary, getting to know the friars and admire their way of life.

At the age of 20 he asked the superior of the friary in Nicosia to speak for him to the Father Provincial of Messina so that he could be admitted to the Order as a lay brother. Being illiterate, he could not be admitted as a cleric, Seeing his devotion to his cause however, he was at last, admitted to the Order and sent to a friary in Mistretta.

On October 10, 1743 he began his novitiate, taking the name of Brother Felix, taking his vows on October 10, 1744.

Against the norm the superiors at the abbey sent him to a friary in Nicosisa. Against the norm, because the fear was that noviates would find themselves distracted by family and friends, thereby stunting their spiritual growth. Yet the level of his detachment was to such a degree that this fear was largely unwarranted.

He was given the job of collecting alms. Every day he would knock on doors, inviting people to share their prosperity. His nature was such that he would always say 'thank you' and even when he was manhandled he would exclaim: Let it be for the love of God.

He was devoted to the crucified Christ and to the Mother of God. On Fridays he would contemplate the passion and death of Jesus, on Fridays in March he fasted on bread and water.

He had a particular veneration for the Eucharist, spending hours in front of the tabernacle even after having endured the harsh trials of every day.

In May 1787 he was overtaken by a sudden, raging fever while working the garden. Brother Felix told the doctor who prescribed medicines for him that they were useless, because this was his final illness. Brother Felix died on May 31, 1787 at two in the morning.

He was beatified by Leo XIII on February 12, 1888.

He was canonized on October 23, 2005 by Benedict XVI.

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