vendredi 10 avril 2015

Bienheureux ANTONIO (ANTOINE) NEYROT da RIVOLI, prêtre dominicain et martyr


Bienheureux Antoine Neyrot, martyr

Natif de Rivoli, dans le diocèse de Turin, il fit profession comme frère prêcheur. Capturé par les Maures et amené à Tunis, il apostasia et se maria. Pris de remords, il se convertit après     quelques mois et revêtit l'habit dominicain. Il confessa publiquement le Christ et fut lapidé à mort.

Saint Antoine Neyrot

Martyr dominicain à Tunis ( 1460)

Antoine Neyrot naquit à Rivoli dans le Piémont. Entré chez les dominicains de Florence, il eut pour frères au couvent de Saint Marc, saint Antonin et le célèbre Fra Angelico. Mais sa ferveur n'était pas bien grande et il obtint de partir en Sicile où il n'avait que faire sinon que de quitter Florence. Au retour de ce voyage, sur le bateau qui le ramenait à Naples, il fut pris en otage par des corsaires qui l'emmenèrent à Tunis. Pour ne pas devenir esclave, il devint musulman. et contracta mariage. Mais ni l'Islam ni son épouse ne le rendirent heureux. Ayant appris la mort de saint Antonin qu'il vénérait, il retourna à Jésus-Christ, renvoya sa femme, reprit l'habit dominicain et fut arrêté comme renégat. Condamné à être décapité, il vit la foule se jeter sur lui tandis qu'il attendait à genoux l'exécution. Il fut tué, lardé de coups de couteau, puis son corps fut traîné dans les rues.

À Tunis, en 1460, le bienheureux Antoine Neyrot, prêtre de l’Ordre des Prêcheurs et martyr. Enlevé par des pirates et conduit de force an Afrique, il eut la faiblesse d’apostasier et de se marier, mais, avec le secours de la grâce divine, un jeudi saint, il reprit en public son habit religieux et, frappé d’une grêle de pierres, il expia sa faute.


Martyrologe romain


Antoine Neyrot

Dominicain, Bienheureux

† 1460


Le B. Antoine Neyrot naquit à Rivoli au diocèse de Turin il était d'une des meilleures familles de cette ville et entra tout jeune encore au couvent de Saint-Marc à Florence, dont saint Antonin était alors prieur. Il y fit profession entre ses mains et fut envoyé en Sicile. Or, il arriva que, quelque temps après, se rendant de Sicile à Naples, il fut pris, pendant la traversée, par des pirates de Tunis et emmené captif en Afrique. Son courage et bientôt sa foi déchirent sous ce malheur il en vint même jusqu'à renier publiquement Jésus-Christ.

Il y avait quatre mois déjà qu'il croupissait dans son apostasie, quand Dieu jeta sur lui un regard de miséricorde et le retira de l'abîme par la puissance de sa grâce. Ayant donc abjuré l'infâme mahométisme, Antoine se hâta de se préparer, par toutes les rigueurs de la pénitence et par la récitation fervente de l'office divin, à une lutte prochaine. Après quoi, deux fois lavé dans le sang de Jésus-Christ, au saint tribunal et à la sainte table, revêtu des habits de son Ordre, il va trouver le roi de Tunis, qui revenait alors d'une récente expédition. Eu sa présence et au milieu d'une foule immense, Antoine déplore son impiété, proclame seule véritable la religion chrétienne, qu'il avait abandonnée, et parle de Jésus-Christ avec une hardiesse et une éloquence merveilleuses. Le roi essaie de l'ébranler par tous les moyens, il promet, il caresse, mais sans nul succès il ordonne enfin de le conduire en prison, et le remet au jugement du chef de la secte. Trois jours entiers le perfide et artificieux musulman mit tout en œuvre pour le vaincre le courage du serviteur de Dieu fut inébranlable. Accablé presque sans relâche par les barbares d'outrages et de coups, sa patience ne se démentit pas un seul instant. Quelques chrétiens lui envoyaient des secours il les distribuait aux pauvres, se contentait pour lui de pain et d'eau et se préparait ainsi a la mort. Enfin, cinq jours après son emprisonnement, le juge le fait venir une dernière fois devant lui une dernière fois il échoue devant sa constance, et le condamne à être lapidé. On l'entraîne au lieu du supplice. Là, le soldat de Jésus-Christ s'agenouille, lève les mains au ciel, entre en prières et, dans une immobilité courageuse, reçoit la grêle de pierres qui consomme son martyre. Cette mort bienheureuse arriva le 10 mars de l'année 1460.

Les barbares livrèrent ensuite son corps aux flammes mais les flammes le respectèrent, et il fut racheté par des marchands génois qui mouillaient alors à Tunis. On le lava avec respect, et on l'envoya à Gènes, exhalant l'odeur la plus suave. De cette ville le B. Amédée IX, duc de Savoie, le fit transférer à Rivoli, l'an 1469.

Bientôt la gloire des miracles vint rehausser sur ces saintes dépouilles la gloire du martyre grand nombre de fidèles se déclarèrent redevables aux mérites du B. Antoine de grâces très insignes. Le culte du martyr s'accrut et se propagea de jour en jour. Enfin Clément X, le voyant bien établi, l'approuva et permit à l'Ordre des Frères Prêcheurs de réciter l'office et de célébrer la messe en l'honneur du B. Antoine.

SOURCE : P. Giry : Les petits Bollandistes : Vies des saints. T. IV. Source : http://gallica.bnf.fr/ Bibliothèque nationale de France.

SOURCE : http://nouvl.evangelisation.free.fr/antoine_neyrot.htm

Bienheureux Antoine Neyrot

Martyr Dominicain

Fête le 10 avril

Rivoli, diocèse de Turin, Piémont, v. 1423 – † Tunis, Tunisie, 10 avril 1460

Béatifié le 22 février 1767 par le pape Clément XIII

Autre graphie : Antonio Neyrot

Natif de Rivoli, dans le diocèse de Turin (Piémont), il fit profession comme frère prêcheur. Capturé par des pirates Maures et amené à Tunis, il apostasia et se maria. Pris de remords, il se convertit après quelques mois et revêtit l’habit dominicain. Il confessa publiquement le Christ et fut lapidé à mort à Tunis. Son culte fut approuvé par Clément XIII (1758-69).


Bx Antonio (Antoine) Neyrot de Rivoli

Prêtre o.p. et martyr († 1460)


Antoine Neyrot naît en 1425 à Rivoli (province de Turin dans le Piémont, Italie).

 Il entra tout jeune au couvent Saint-Marc de Florence, dont st Antonin était alors prieuret Fra Angelico un des frères. Antonin insistait toujours sur l’importance de l’étude, de la prière et de la patience pour faire un bon dominicain.

Mais Antoine n’était pas patient. Il voulait vite aller en première ligne. Ses supérieurs lui ayant dit non, il s’adressa à Rome et finit par obtenir d’être envoyé en Sicile où il n’avait que faire sinon que de quitter Florence. 

En 1458, il quitte la Sicile et s’embarque pour Naples (ou, selon certains, pour l’Afrique), il est pris par des pirates et emmené captif à Tunis. Lui qui voulait évangéliser l’Afrique, il trahit ses vœux : pour ne pas devenir esclave, il devient musulman et se marie. Il entreprit de traduire le Coran en italien, mais n’y trouvant qu’un tissu de fables, il reconnut son erreur et son péché, d’autant plus qu’il apprit la mort de saint Antonin (en mai 1459) qu’il vénérait.

Il retourna à Jésus-Christ, renvoya sa femme, reprit l’habit dominicain le 10 avril 1460, Jeudi Saint, et alla trouver le dey pour lui dire qu’il regrettait son apostasie : il fut aussitôt lapidé. Racheté par des marchands génois, son corps fut enterré à Gênes, puis transféré à Rivoli. 

Des miracles eurent lieu sur sa tombe. Un grand nombre de fidèles se déclarèrent redevables aux mérites du Bx Antoine de grâces très insignes.

Le culte du martyr s'accrut et se propagea de jour en jour, et fut autorisé en 1767 par Clément XIII (Carlo Rezzonico, 1758-1769).

Source principale : docteurangelique.com/ (« Rév. x gpm »).


©Evangelizo.org 2001-2015

Blessed Antoine Neyrot

Also known as
  • Anthony Neyrot
Profile

Joined the Dominicans at the convent of San Marco in Florence, Italy as a young man. While travelling to preach in Naples, Italy, he was captured by Moorish pirates, he was taken to Tunis, Tunisia. He was initially treated pretty well, but his captors perceived him as arrogant for being sure of his faith and imprisoned him and gave him only bread and water. To escape, he renounced Christianity, began to study Islam, worked on a translation of the Koran, and even married. However, he apparently never completely lost his faith, was overcome with remorse, and after a few months he resumed his Dominican habit, found a priest, came back to the Church and publicly proclaimed himself a Christian. Martyr.

Born

Blessed Antony Neyrot, OP M (AC)

Born in Rivoli, Piedmont, Italy; died in Tunis, 1460; cultus approved by Clement XIII. Blessed Antony renounced his faith. He expiated his sin with an act of heroism that merited heaven, washing away in his own blood the denial that might have cost him his soul.


Little is known of Antony's childhood. He became a Dominican at Saint Antoninus. After completing his studies, Antony was ordained and lived for a time at San Marco, the famous Dominican monastery in Florence. Becoming restless, he asked for a change of mission and was sent to Sicily. He didn't like this either, so he set out for Naples. On this voyage, his ship was captured by pirates, and Antony, along with the other passengers, was taken, bound, to Africa. Here the passengers were led through the streets for all to see.

The battle of Lepanto was still 100 years in the future, but Turkish aggression, which was to bring about this great battle, was commonplace in Antony's time. Some captives were treated leniently, others very cruelly. The Islamic king of Tunis seems to have liked young Antony because he ordered that kindness should be shown to him. Antony was not even confined, until his arrogance angered his captors into more severe restrictions, but Antony was impatient and resented the very idea of captivity. Being placed in prison, living on a diet of bread and water, he soon collapsed. Then, as the Islamics had hoped, he denied his faith in order to buy his freedom.

Disaster followed disaster. He lost all faith in Christianity and began to translate the Koran. He was adopted by the king, married a Turkish lady of high rank, and was given the freedom of the city.

Into the false paradise came the news of the death of Saint Antoninus. Love for his old master stirred in Antony a yearning for the Truth he had abandoned. He resolved to return to the Christian faith, although it meant certain death.

In order that his return might be as public as his denial had been, he waited until the king returning in triumph from a victory over the Christians, had a public procession. Having confessed and made his private reconciliation with God, Antony, clothed in a Dominican habit, at that moment mounted the palace steps where all could see him.

In a loud voice he proclaimed his faith, and his sorrow at having denied it. The king at first disbelieved his ears, then he became angry. Failing to change the mind of the young man, he commanded that he be stoned to death.

Antony died under a shower of stones, proclaiming to the last his faith and his sorrow. It was Holy Thursday, 1460. His body was recovered at great expense from the Islamics and returned to Rivoli, where his tomb soon became a place of pilgrimage. Many miracles were performed there, and, until very recently, an annual procession was held at his shrine. In the procession, all the present-day members of his family, dressed in black, walked proudly behind the statue of Blessed Antony (Benedictines, Dorcy, Encyclopedia).

April 10: Blessed Anthony Neyrot

Anthony was born in northern Italy in the fifteenth century. He joined the Dominican order in Florence, Italy. The prior at that time was another saint, Antoninus. We celebrate his feast on May 10. This saint was to have a great influence on Blessed Anthony.

Brother Anthony was sailing from Naples to Sicily when pirates captured the ship. Anthony was taken to Tunis and sold as a slave. He was able to win his freedom, but fell away from the Church. He denied his faith in Jesus and abandoned his religious vocation. He accepted the Koran, the sacred book of the Muslims. For several months, he practiced the Muslim religion. He also married.

In the meantime, his former Dominican prior, the saintly Antoninus, died. This led Anthony to have a shocking experience. It seems that one night, Anthony had something like a dream. St. Antoninus appeared to him. The conversation between the two men was to lead to a radical change in Anthony. He became truly sorry for having betrayed the Lord. He knew that in his heart he could never give up his faith in Jesus. He knew that he could only be a Catholic. And he realized that he still wanted very much to be a Dominican brother.

Blessed Anthony sent his wife back to her family. He then put on his white Dominican habit. In spite of his fear, he went to see the ruler of Tunis. A large crowd gathered and the ruler came out to the courtyard. Brother Anthony publicly admitted he had made a terrible mistake. He was a Catholic. He believed in and loved Jesus. He was a Dominican and wanted to be so for all his life. The ruler was angry. He threatened and then made promises of rewards if only Anthony would take back what he was saying. But Anthony would not. He knew this meant his death.

Anthony knelt and began to pray for the courage to give his life for Jesus. Suddenly he felt the large stones pounding him. He just kept praying for the strength to remain true to the Lord. Then he lost consciousness. Anthony died a martyr in 1460. Some merchants from Genoa, Italy, took his remains back to his own country.

Reflection: Could I make the Sacrament of Reconciliation more a part of my life? What difference would this make?

Blessed Anthony Neyrot

Very soon now, April 10th in fact, we Dominicans will celebrate one of the more unusual blesseds on our calendar, Blessed Anthony Neyrot (d. 1460). Bl. Anthony was the only Dominican blessed ever to renounce his faith, and yet in the end return to the faith and die a martyr’s death. Bl. Anthony is a reminder to us that nothing is lost which cannot be found again, and no one can stray so far that the Good Shepherd cannot bring him or her home.

Not much is known about the youth of Bl. Anthony, only that he was from Rivoli in Italy. He was received into the Order by the great Dominican, Saint Antoninus. After his studies and ordination, Anthony was assigned to the convent of San Marco in Florence. Being somewhat wayward and impatient, Anthony quickly grew tired of this and asked for a change of scenery. He was sent first to Sicily, about which he was not thrilled, and then to Naples. While sailing to Naples, Anthony’s ship was captured by pirates, and he and the other passengers were taken to the city of Tunis in North Africa.

 At first, Anthony was well-liked by the emir in Tunis and was allowed a measure of freedom. His continuing arrogance, though, quickly brought the wrath of his captors and Anthony was put in prison and given only bread and water. Anthony eventually gave in, denying his faith in order to obtain his freedom. Anthony quickly embraced his new faith, even going so far as to attempt a translation of the Qur’an. Soon, he was adopted by the emir and married a high-born Turkish lady.

 Anthony’s newfound complacency, though, was quickly shattered. Into his life came the news that his beloved teacher and mentor, Saint Antoninus, had died. Love for his old master stirred in Anthony’s heart a desire for the Truth which he had abandoned. He resolved very quickly to return to the Christian faith. Anthony decided to make his return publicly. In private, he confessed and was reconciled to God. Then, during one of the emir’s public processions, Anthony appeared on the palace steps wearing again his Dominican habit, and proclaiming his faith in a loud voice, and his sorrow at ever having abandoned it. Failing to change Anthony’s mind, the emir ordered his death. Anthony died under a shower of stones, proclaiming his faith and his sorrow on Holy Thursday, 1460. His body was eventually returned to Rivoli, where it still rests.

 Holy Mary, Searcher for the Lost, pray for us.
 Blessed Anthony Neyrot, pray for us.


The death of Blessed Anthony Neyrot

Blessed Anthony Neyrot, M.O.P.

Memorial Day: April 10th

Profile

Blessed Anthony Neyrot occupies a unique place in Dominican history, as he is the only one among the beautified who ever renounced the faith. He expiated his sin with an act of heroism that merited heaven, washing away in his own blood the denial that might have cost him his soul.

    Of the childhood of Blessed Anthony, we know nothing that he was born at Rivoli, in Italy. He was accepted into the Order by Saint Antoninus, who must have been particularly fond of the young man, since he gave him his own name. Completing his studies, Anthony was ordained and lived for a time at San Marco, the famous Dominican convent in Florence. Then, becoming restless and dissatisfied, he asked for a change of mission. He was sent to Sicily, but this did not prove to his liking either so he set out for Naples.

    Brother Anthony was sailing from Sicily to Naples when pirates captured the ship. Anthony was taken to Tunis and sold as a slave. He was able to win his freedom, but fell away from the Church. He denied his faith in Jesus and abandoned his religious vocation. He accepted the Koran, the diabolical book of the Muslims. For several months, he practiced the Muslim religion. He also married.

    In the meantime, his former Dominican prior, the saintly Antoninus, died. This led Anthony to have a shocking experience. It seems that one night, Anthony had something like a dream. St. Antoninus appeared to him. The conversation between the two men was to lead to a radical change in Anthony. He became truly sorry for having betrayed the Lord. He knew that in his heart he could never give up his faith in Jesus. He knew that he could only be a Catholic. And he realized that he still wanted very much to be a Dominican brother.

    Blessed Anthony sent his wife back to her family. He then put on his white Dominican habit. In spite of his fear, he went to see the ruler of Tunis. A large crowd gathered and the ruler came out to the courtyard. Brother Anthony publicly admitted he had made a terrible mistake becoming a Muslim. He was a Catholic. He believed in and loved Jesus. He was a Dominican and wanted to be so for all his life. The ruler was angry. He threatened and then made promises of rewards if only Anthony would take back what he was saying. But Anthony would not. He knew this meant his death.

    Anthony knelt and began to pray for the courage to give his life for Jesus. Suddenly he felt the large stones pounding him. He just kept praying for the strength to remain true to the Lord. Then he lost consciousness. Anthony died a martyr in 1460. Some merchants from Genoa, Italy, took his remains back to his own country.

Born: 1420

Died: Martyred on Holy Thursday, 1460

SOURCE : http://www.willingshepherds.org/Dominican%20Saint%20III.html

Beato Antonio Neyrot da Rivoli Sacerdote domenicano, martire


Rivoli, Torino, 1423 c. - Tunisi, 1460

Nato a Rivoli (Torino) intorno al 1423, Antonio Neyrot entrò tra i Domenicani, ricevendo l'abito, nel convento di San Marco a Firenze, da sant'Antonino, il futuro arcivescovo della città. Si imbarcò per un pericoloso viaggio in Sicilia. La rotta era, infatti, battuta dai pirati: e se la prima volta gli andò bene, di ritorno dalla Sicilia per Napoli il nostro fu catturato. Era il 1458 e il religioso venne condotto come schiavo a Tunisi. Qui, sotto le pressioni dei saraceni, abiurò la fede e si sposò. Ma gli apparve in sogno Antonino, nel frattempo morto, che lo invitò a pentirsi. Nel Giovedì Santo del 1460 rimise l'abito e professò pubblicamente la sua fede davanti al sultano. Un gesto che gli costò la vita. In seguito il corpo fu acquistato da mercanti genovesi e, nel 1469, Amedeo di Savoia lo fece portare a Rivoli, dove riposa. (Avvenire)

Emblema: Palma

Martirologio Romano: A Tunisi sulla costa dell’Africa settentrionale, beato Antonio Neyrot, sacerdote dell’Ordine dei Predicatori e martire, che, condotto con la forza in Africa dai pirati, rinnegò la fede, ma, con l’aiuto della grazia divina, il Giovedì Santo riprese pubblicamente l’abito religioso, espiando la precedente colpa con la lapidazione.

Per nascita è piemontese, ma non abbiamo notizie certe sulla sua origine. Incominciamo a conoscerlo quando chiede di essere accolto nel convento dei Domenicani a Firenze. Il convento è quello già appartenente ai Silvestrini, così chiamati da san Silvestro Guzzolini, che li fondò nel Duecento: ora è affidato ai Domenicani, che l’hanno fatto rimettere a nuovo con l’aiuto di Cosimo de’ Medici il Vecchio, che in Firenze è sovrano senza corona né trono né titoli. E proprio in quest’epoca lo sta affrescando frate Giovanni da Fiesole, che il mondo conoscerà come Beato Angelico. Priore di questa comunità è Antonino Pierozzi, che ha già guidato altre comunità a Cortona, Roma e a Napoli, e che sta per diventare arcivescovo di Firenze.

Il giovane Neyrot da Rivoli è uno degli ultimi giovani che Antonino ha potuto seguire prima di passare al governo della diocesi, chiamandolo via via agli ordini sacri, e sempre mettendolo in guardia contro la fretta: per riuscire buon domenicano, gli ripeteva, occorre molto studio, con molta preghiera e molta pazienza. Ma lui non conosce la pazienza. Sopporta male il lento apprendistato sui libri. Si considera già preparatissimo, vorrebbe andare subito in prima linea. Insiste con i superiori, chiede di essere mandato in Sicilia. Gli rispondono di no. Allora decide di appellarsi a Roma, e va a finire che ci riesce: per insistenza sua, per raccomandazioni autorevoli, chissà. In Sicilia ci arriva davvero, con tutti i permessi romani.

Nel 1458 – e ancora per ragioni che non si conoscono – si imbarca dalla Sicilia diretto a Napoli, secondo alcuni; oppure, secondo altri, verso l’Africa: un’ipotesi che sembrerebbe in linea con le sue note impazienze missionarie. Ma questa è anche una stagione di pirati, e in essi s’imbatte appunto la sua nave: così lui arriva davvero in Africa, ma come schiavo. Sbarca a Tunisi, che all’epoca è la fiorente capitale di un vasto stato berbero, creato dalla dinastia musulmana degli Almohadi, e dal XIII secolo sotto il governo degli emiri Hafsidi. Un solido stato autonomo, legato da intensi rapporti commerciali con i Paesi mediterranei.

Padre Neyrot è dunque arrivato – sia pure in maniera inaspettata – in Africa da rievangelizzare, alla terra dei suoi entusiasmi. Ma rapidamente essa diventala terra di tutti i fallimenti. Il predicatore impaziente dei tempi fiorentini tradisce i suoi voti, butta l’abito domenicano e rinnega la fede, prende moglie e si fa pubblicamente musulmano.

Intanto a Firenze, nel maggio 1459, muore il vescovo Antonino, il suo maestro poco ascoltato, e la notizia lo raggiunge a Tunisi. (Secondo un’altra versione, il vescovo gli sarebbe apparso in sogno dopo la morte). Di qui prende avvio per Antonio il cammino del ritorno, che è rapido e senza incertezze. Non solo egli ritrova dentro di sé la fede cristiana, ma subito la proclama pubblicamente davanti all’emiro e con addosso l’abito di domenicano. Questo comporta la condannaa morte, che viene eseguita a Tunisi mediante lapidazione. Questo accade, secondo il Martirologio romano, nella feria quinta in Coena Domini, ossia il Giovedì santo, nell’anno 1460.

Mercanti genovesi riportano in Italia il suo corpo, che nel 1464 raggiunge la cittadina nativa, Rivoli, dov’è tuttora venerato nella nuova chiesa parrocchiale di Santa Maria della Stella. Clemente XIII ne ha approvato il culto come beato nel 1767.

Autore: 
Domenico Agasso



UN SAINT POUR AUJOURD'HUI (1425-1460), ANTOINE NEYROT, prêtre dominicain devenu musulman ! : http://www.dieu-parmi-nous.com/NIC/Saint.Antoine.Neyrot.pdf