lundi 27 avril 2015

Bienheureux PIERRE (PEDRO) ARMENGOL, religieux mercédaire et martyr


Vicente Carducho : Saint Pierre Armengol, musée du Prado.

Bienheureux Pierre Armengol

Bien qu'issu de la famille des comtes d'Urgel, Pierre (1238-1304) se fait chef de brigands, détroussant et tuant. Mais, à 19 ans, il va trouver le vénérable Guillaume de Bas, successeur de Saint Pierre Nolasque à la tête de l'Ordre de Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci. Voyant la sincérité de son repentir, celui-ci l'admet au noviciat. Une fois religieux, Pierre est envoyé racheter les esclaves chrétiens à Alger. Il en délivre des centaines puis se livre lui-même en échange d'enfants prisonniers. Durant sa captivité, il soutient la foi des chrétiens et convertit des musulmans. Condamné à mort pour cela, il reste suspendu six jours au gibet, soutenu par la Vierge. Devant le miracle, il est libéré avec vingt-six autres esclaves. Rentré en Espagne, il se retire dans un monastère jusqu'à sa mort, accueillant avec bonté de nombreux visiteurs et guérissant les malades.

Bienheureux Pierre Armengol

martyr ( 1304)

Ce fut d'abord un bandit de grand chemin dont les comparses furent bien étonnés quand il décida de se faire moine dans un des couvents de l'Ordre de la Merci dont le but était de racheter les captifs. Il sut, par sa prudence et son zèle, obtenir la libération de nombreux esclaves chrétiens dans le royaume de Grenade et de Murcie, alors sous la domination des Maures. Il fut envoyé à Alger où, pour délivrer de jeunes chrétiens dont il ne pouvait obtenir le rachat faute d'argent, il s'offrit lui-même rançon. Comme l'argent ne venait pas, le bienheureux Pierre fut attaché à une potence et resta ainsi suspendu six jours. Libéré par un de ses compagnons qui venait d'arriver, il retourna en Espagne. Il aimait dire à ses frères "Je pense n'avoir vécu que peu de jours heureux. Ce sont ceux que j'ai passés au gibet parce qu'alors je me voyais mort au monde." 


"Martyr de l'Ordre de Notre-Dame de la Merci. Fier et arrogant, il s'était mis à la tête d'une bande de brigands. Un jour, il voulut assassiner un passant quand il reconnut que c'était son père. Ce fut le point de départ de sa conversion. Il entra dans l'Ordre de N.D. de la Merci et s'en fut en Afrique. C'est là qu'il fut arrêté et pendu en haine de la foi chrétienne."

À Tarragone dans le royaume d’Aragon, en 1304, le bienheureux Pierre Armengol. Il s’était mis à la tête d’une bande de brigands, mais, revenu à Dieu, il entra dans l’Ordre de Notre-Dame de la Merci et employa sa vie avec ardeur à racheter les captifs en Afrique.


Martyrologe romain


Peter Armengol, O. Merc. M (RM)

Born in Tarragona, Spain, in 1238; died there in 1304; cultus confirmed 1686. Peter, born into the family of the counts of Urgell, exercised his boldness with a band of brigands before joining a Mercedarian community of monks in 1258. He devoted all his energy to the ransoming of captives, going so far as to offer himself as a hostage for 18 Christian children. His offer was accepted. Peter underwent horrible tortures during his African captivity, for which his is considered a martyr, although he actually died back in his hometown. His story, as we have received it, is unreliable (Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia).



Today, April 27, we celebrate the feast of Blessed Peter Armengol (1238-1304), a Merdedarian friar who came to serve the Lord later in life, following a misspent and dissolute youth. Having given up the world, he worked tirelessly for the ransom of captives, all the while atoning for his own sins. Blessed Peter Armengol is a model of confidence. His life inspires everyone who, amid the crisis of the modern world, needs special graces from Our Lady to remain completely faithful.


Peter was born in Guadria dels Prats, Tarragona, Spain. Of noble birth, he was related to the Counts of Urgel, and raised in the luxury and lifestyle of nobility. Despite his parents best attempts to raise and educate him piously, Peter was drawn into bad company as a young man, and entered into the life of a bandit. He joined a gang of criminals who, pursued by the authorities, lived in the mountains, preying on the unsuspecting travelers of the region. Soon, Peter became the leader of the gang.

On account of his Peter’s bad behavior, his father, Arnold Armengol de Moncada, moved to the kingdom of Valencia. There, he was employed by King Jaime, and served as an advance ambassador when the monarch traveled. In 1258, the monarch’s travels took him through the region controlled by Peter’s band of ruffians, and father and son found themselves face-to-face, locked in hand-to-hand combat. When Peter realized who he was attempting to rob, he was overcome by grief, and fell at his father’s feet, begging for forgiveness and mercy. The Lord changed his heart that day, and Peter resolved to change his life.

Desiring nothing more than to atone for his sins, and repair his relationship with the Lord, Peter petitioned the Mercedarian Order at Barcelona to allow him entrance. There, he became a monk in the order founded by Saint Peter Nolasco, and worked tirelessly to ransom Catholics captured by the Mohammedans. Blessed Peter worked throughout Spain, converting many and freeing those enslaved. Throughout his mission work, he lived a life of humility, complete obedience to the Lord, penance, mortification, and continual prayer. 

Wishing nothing more than to journey to Africa and be imprisoned so that others might go free, Peter was eventually sent to that continent. On his first visit, he successfully ransomed 119 captives without any incident. However, before departing, Friar Peter learned of a prison with 18 children who, impelled by the threats of punishments of the barbarous Mohammedans, remained in danger of denying the Faith. The religious happily offered himself as hostage for the ransom of the innocent captives. His release was promised in exchange for a stipulated sum. But, if the payment did not arrive within the set time, he would suffer harsh punishments. Peter, especially devoted to the Blessed Virgin, maintained complete confidence that he would be provided for. The children were freed, and he took their place in prison.

While imprisoned, Blessed Peter converted many of his captors through both his preaching and his ministry of charity. Throughout all, he prayed to the Blessed Virgin, Our Mother, and maintained his confidence in the Divine Grace of the Lord. Over time, the required money was not paid, and his captors grew tired of his cheerful attitude. They moved Peter to a less comfortable prison, denied him of food, and tortured him mercilessly. As he was unable to be broken in spirit, they condemned him to death by hanging. Even then, when everything seemed lost, Blessed Peter prayed to Our Lady and confided in her.

The execution was carried out and Peter’s body was left hanging from the gallows, as the custom was for birds of prey to feed on the corpses of those who were killed. Six days had elapsed when the Mercedarian emissary arrived with the required ransom money. Learning that he was too late, the emissary went with great sorrow, in the company of some captives, to see the lamentable sight. Reaching the site of the execution, he noticed that the body did not emit a bad odor, but rather exhaled a heavenly fragrance. To their astonishment, Friar Armengol spoke, telling them that the Blessed Mother saved his life.

Blessed Peter returned to Barcelona, where he was questioned about his miraculous survival. Only when ordered by his superior to reveal what happened, did Peter recount: “The Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our own mother, asked her Most Holy Son to conserve my life; having obtained this favor, this same sovereign Queen sustained me with her most holy hands, so that the weight of my body would not hang upon the rope by which I was suspended.”

Blessed Peter suffered a twisted neck and pale complexion from his hanging, for the remainder of his life. While these afflictions caused him pain and suffering, he nonetheless retained his cheerful, humble, and charitable disposition. He retired to the monastery of Our Lady de los Prados, where he lived for his remaining 40 years, in constant communion with Our Blessed Mother and the Lord. There he was buried, and his relics are venerated still today.  He is considered a martyr by the Church, given his profound willingness to suffer and die for his faith.

Recalling the miracle of his hanging, he frequently told the religious of the monastery of this marvel: “Believe me, my dear brothers, that I do not believe myself to have lived except for those few but most happy days when, hanging from the gallows, I was held to be dead.”


Also known as
  • Pere Ermengol
  • Peter Armengaudius
  • Peter Ermengol
  • Pietro Armengaudio
Profile

Born to the nobility, Pietro wasted his youth in dissolute living, and rode for a while as a brigand and thief. His band once tried to hijack his father‘s entourage, which caused the young man to re-evaluate his life. He had a conversion, and joined the Mercedarians in 1258.

From that point on he worked tirelessly to ransom hostages. Personally took the place of 18 captured Christian children. and endured enough torture for the entire group, including being hanged until his tormenters thought he was dead. He survived the experience and retired to the convent of Saint Mary of the Meadows, but it, and the life of pain he led as a result of the torture, led to his being considered a martyr.

Born
  • 1238 at Tarragona, Urgell region, eastern Spanish Pyrenees
  • 1304 at Tarragona, Urgell region, eastern Spanish Pyrenees of natural causes

Saint of Mercy, Saint of Change

Saint Peter Armengol, O. de M.


Born: Mid-13th Century

Died: 1304

Feast Day: April 27

Peter Armengol is a saint of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy of the Redemption of Captives, also known as the Mercedarians.  Peter was born to a noble family of Spain in the 13th Century, of strong Catholic heritage.  As an adolescent, however, young Peter fell into the wrong crowds of boys and ran away from home eventually.

As a teen, Armengol was a highway bandit.  Such mobs as his own became so violent and numerous that King James I of Spain finally sent armed nobles out to capture these juvenile miscreants.  By God’s Own providence, Arnaldo Armengol, the father of Peter, crossed swords with his own son.  In this deciding moment, Peter threw down his sword and repented of his deeds.  Unlike most highway bandits, Peter was spared the punishment that was justly ordained, by merit of his father’s high position.  From that moment of his repentance, the changed young Armengol began to pester the Mercedarian Friars to be allowed to take the habit.

Seeing that they would not be rid of the young man, the Friars accepted him into the Order and began to prepare him for life as a religious.  Brother Peter, as he was now called, soon showed himself to be one of the most virtuous friars, with a strong, deep faith, as well as a shrewd mind capable of dealing with the Muslims.  Thus, he was chosen by the Master General to go on ransom.

During his second mission of redemption, 1266, Brother Peter was held by the Muslims in captivity, as he had exchanged himself for some Christians who were in danger of apostasy.  Armengol’s companion, Brother Guillermo, did not return in time with the ransom money, so the Muslims hung Peter.  Guillermo returned to the camp the day after the hanging took place, to find his confrere was still alive, despite a broken neck.  Our Blessed Mother of Mercy, as Patroness and Founder of the Order, had kept her servant alive by her grace.

Brother Peter was freed from his captivity and returned with Brother Guillermo to Spain.  Upon his return, Armengol, now considered a living martyr by the Church, took up residence in the convent of Santa Maria dels Prats, as a hermit.  The hanging he endured left his neck permanently twisted, but did not prevent him from living for 40 more years.


St. Peter Armengol has been declared the Patron Saint of all youth by the Catholic Church.  I have no doubts, after hearing his story, that he interceded for me when I was deep in sin.  Much like Peter, I was assisted to change my ways by an encounter with my own father.  It is my hope that, by St. Peter’s intercession, all young men who are in living in sin will have the same experience I did and that Armengol did and come to change their ways.

Saint Peter Armengol, Pray for us!
Our Lady of Ransom, Pray for us!

The Mercedarian Friars may be found on-line at orderofmercy.org or on Google+ at +Mercedarian Friars.  Many thanks to the Mercedarian House of Studies in Philadelphia, PA for providing the text, "The Order of Mercy: The Mercedarians.  A Historical Profile," from which this information was taken.

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Saint Peter Armengol: Hero of Confidence

By TFP Student Action   

Saint Peter Armengol is a model of confidence. His life inspires everyone who, amid the crisis of the modern world, needs special graces from Our Lady to remain completely faithful.

From Gangster to Convert

Peter Armengol was born in Guardia dels Prats, a small village in the archdiocese of Tarragon, Spain in 1238. He belonged to the noble house of the barons of Rocafort, descendants of the counts of Urgel, whose ancestors were directly linked to the counts of Barcelona and the monarchs of Aragon and Castile. 

Despite the great care taken by his parents regarding his education, young Peter gave himself over to a life of total dissipation, vice and caprice. “Abyssus abyssum invocat” (Deep calleth on deep), say the Scriptures. Thus Peter joined a gang of criminals who, pursued by Justice, led the life of bandits in the mountains. Soon, young Armengol became the leader of that gang.

On account of his son’s bad behaviour, Arnold Armengol de Moncada moved to the kingdom of Valencia, recently conquered from the Moors by King Jaime.  This monarch had to embark on a trip to Montpellier in order to meet with the King of France on matters of interest to both crowns. To travel safely, he commissioned Arnold to go before him and rout the assailants who often robbed and killed travellers in the Pyrenees region.

At the most dangerous part of the journey, the retinue of the noble Spaniard saw itself surrounded by brigands. Arnold, with his troops, rushed at them, wounding some and apprehending others. He spurred his horse forward with sword in hand and urged his men to defeat the leader of the bandits. Indeed, Arnold himself was the first to engage the leader in hand-to-hand combat. Suddenly, grief came upon both noble and brigand, when they discovered their identity.  Bathed in tears, Peter prostrated himself at the feet of his father, delivered his sword and, with it, his heart.

Penance for His Misdeeds

Filled with shame, the repentant youth retired to a Mercedarian monastery in Barcelona. With an ardent desire to repair the injuries done to God, he become a monk in that religious order founded by Saint Peter Nolasco to ransom Catholics captured by the Mohammedans. He requested the habit with such insistence and gave such conclusive proofs of his vocation that he was received into the Mercedarian Order by the Venerable William de Bas, the French-born successor of the holy founder.

The disorderly passions were now conquered by Peter Armengol in religious life. He understood how to subdue them with such promptitude, through penance, mortification of the senses and continual prayer, that even before he reached the end of his novitiate he had managed to subject them to the dominion of his will and reason.

During the eight years of his profession, he was entrusted with the important task of dealing directly with the ransom of captives. He carried out this function in the provinces of Spain that were still in the power of the Saracens. Nonetheless, his greatest desire was to go to Africa and become a captive for the ransom of Christians.

On an expedition to that continent, he arrived in Bugia in the company of Friar William Florentino. There they ransomed 119 captives without any incident. However, before departing, Friar Armengol learned of a prison with 18 children who, impelled by the threats of punishments of the barbarous Mohammedans, remained in danger of denying the Faith. The religious happily offered himself as hostage for the ransom of the innocent captives. His release was promised in exchange for a stipulated sum.  But, if the payment did not arrive within the set time, he would suffer harsh punishments. Divine Providence had disposed that this man of God would thus give proof of his special confidence in the omnipotent mediation of the Blessed Virgin, to whom he was deeply devoted.

Flaming Torch of Confidence

In captivity, Friar Armengol worked prodigies of charity among the infidels, converting many by the efficacy of his preaching. The time prescribed for the delivery of the money came and passed without the payment being made.  The infidels threw him in prison and even denied the food necessary for his sustenance, but Our Lord, by means of His angels, miraculously provided for his survival.

Tired of tormenting him, the Moors conspired to take his life. They accused him of blaspheming Mohammed and of being a spy sent by the Christian kings, thus raising the ire of the Saracen Judge who condemned Friar Peter to death by hanging.

When everything seemed lost, Friar Armengol prayed to Our Lady and confided in her.

The unjust execution was carried out and Peter’s body was left hanging from the gallows. The Moors wanted his corpse to feed birds of prey.  Thus, the holy man’s body remained suspended. Six days had elapsed when Friar William arrived with the ransom money. Learning what had happened, he went with great sorrow, in the company of some captives, to see the lamentable sight. Reaching the site of the execution, he noticed that the body did not emit a bad odour, but rather exhaled a heavenly fragrance. To their astonishment, Friar Armengol spoke, telling them that the Blessed Mother saved his life. Astounded by the stupendous miracle, some pagans converted to the Catholic religion.

Conversation with the Queen of Angels

Learning of the portentous miracle, Barcelona impatiently awaited the return of the unconquerable martyr of Jesus Christ. In the city, they received him with great joy, escorting him from the port to his monastery, giving thanks to Our Lord for His marvels. The religious wanted to hear from Friar Peter’s mouth what had happened, but despite their earnest pleas, he would not speak. Finally, the superior ordered him to tell all that had occurred.  Obedient, the man of God spoke: “The Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our own mother, asked her Most Holy Son to conserve my life; having obtained this favour, this same sovereign Queen sustained me with her most holy hands, so that the weight of my body would not hang upon the rope by which I was suspended.”

For the rest of his life, Friar Armengol had a twisted neck and a pale completion, authentic signs of what had taken place. He retired to the monastery of Our Lady de los Prados, where he practiced heroic virtue and spent his days in familiar conversation with the Queen of Angels, whom he loved so dearly with filial devotion.

Recalling the miracle of his hanging, he frequently told the religious of the monastery of this marvel: “Believe me, my dear brothers, that I do not believe myself to have lived except for those few but most happy days when, hanging from the gallows, I was held to be dead.”

He rendered his soul to God on April 27, 1304. Our Lord deigned to give proofs of the glorification of His servant with seven miracles, the cures of three men and four women, even before his death. On March 28, 1686 Pope Innocent the XI approved the public cult to the saint and, in the eighteenth century, Pope Benedict XIV inscribed Saint Peter Armengol in the Roman Martyrology.

The Tomb of the Saint

Today the remains of Saint Armengol can be found in Guardia dels Prats. The small village still preserves much of its medieval character: tortuous, narrow stone-studded streets; buildings that recall old palaces or noble residences; and a charming Romanesque–style church.

The body of Saint Peter Armengol was preserved incorrupt until 1936. During the Spanish Civil War, however, communist marauders invaded and sacked the church, carrying off his venerable body to the public square where they burned it.  Some children gathered up what they could of these ashes and took the precious remains to their homes, where their mothers kept them with great care. Later, after the communists were vanquished, the precious relics were returned to the church, where they are kept in a reliquary over the main altar – largely forgotten by “progressive” Catholics – in silent testimony of the sanctity of the Catholic Church and Christian Civilisation.

In our times of profound moral crisis, let us ask Saint Armengol to obtain for us before the throne of God, graces of unbending fidelity, unwavering hope and heroic confidence in the powerful intercession of Our Lady.

Source: Cf. Abbe Rohrbacher, Histoire Universelle de l'Eglise Catholique, vol. 20, Gaume Freres Libraires, Paris, 1845, pp. 40-43.


SOURCE : http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/politically-incorrect/hall-of-heroes/saint-peter-armengol-hero-of-confidence.html

San Pietro Armengol Mercedario


Guardia de Prats (Tarragona), 1238 – 27 aprile 1304

Martirologio Romano: A Tarragona nel regno di Aragona sulla costa della Spagna, san Pietro Ermengol, che, un tempo capo di predoni, convertitosi poi a Dio, entrò nell’Ordine della Beata Maria Vergine della Mercede e si dedicò con tutte le forze per il riscatto degli schiavi in Africa.

Pietro Armengol nacque nel 1238 a Guardia de Prats, vicino Montblanch (Tarragona), figlio di Arnaldo Armengol, discendente della nobile famiglia spagnola dei conti di Urgel. 

Da giovane non fu un santo, tutt’altro, con la superbia e l’irrequietezza del suo carattere, menò una vita di vizio e di incontrollata avventura; attirò su di sé l’odio dei concittadini di ogni ceto, perché costretti a subire la sua prepotenza e le sue ingiurie. 

Arrivò a mettersi a capo di un gruppo di banditi, dopo aver lasciato casa e famiglia, fuggì sui monti, seminando il terrore nei paesi e il pericolo sulle strade; fu un criminale della peggiore specie unitamente agli altri banditi suoi complici. 

Ma la Grazia di Dio era prossima a manifestarsi, nel 1258 il re di Spagna Giacomo I, incaricò proprio Arnaldo Armengol di debellare il banditismo, che rendeva insicure le strade e faceva morire il commercio e le comunicazioni. 

Arnaldo venne a trovarsi di fronte alla banda capeggiata dal figlio Pietro, che dopo questo incontro drammatico, venne colpito dalla grazia e si pentì della vita che aveva condotto fino ad allora; si recò da Guglielmo di Bas, successore del fondatore dei Mercedari, s. Pietro Nolasco, si confessò e chiese consiglio; Guglielmo si convinse della sua sincerità e lo ammise nel noviziato dell’Ordine della Mercede nel 1258. 

Sin dal primo giorno della sua entrata, cambiò totalmente vita, dimostrando così la sincerità della conversione; la crudeltà si trasformò in fervida carità e i vizi in continua preghiera e dura penitenza.
Gli vennero presto assegnati diversi incarichi, missioni e viaggi tra i musulmani, allo scopo di riscattare schiavi e prigionieri, secondo il primario compito per cui era sorto l’Ordine della Mercede; operò prima nei regni di Granada e di Murcia governati dai musulmani e poi direttamente ad Algeri, con una missione più difficile e impegnativa. 

Riuscì in due mesi a riscattare ben 346 schiavi che fece rimpatriare; a Bugia riscattò 119 cristiani con alcuni suoi confratelli anch’essi prigionieri; trattò infine la liberazione di 18 ragazzi cristiani che stavano per essere avviati all’islamismo, per trentamila ducati; ma mancando di tale somma, riuscì a farsi accettare al loro posto, così come prescriveva il quarto voto speciale del suo Ordine. 

Durante la sua prigionia, fu di conforto agli altri reclusi, operando molte conversioni anche fra i musulmani; le Autorità si indispettirono per questo e visto il ritardo del pagamento dei 30.000 ducati, lo considerarono una spia e lo condannarono all’impiccagione. 

La sentenza fu subito eseguita e il corpo lasciato agli avvoltoi; poco dopo arrivò con i soldi del riscatto il padre Guglielmo Fiorentino, il quale saputo dell’impiccagione, si recò sul posto per dargli sepoltura, erano trascorsi sei giorni, ma Pietro Armengol viveva ancora e raccontò di essere stato miracolosamente sollevato dalla Madonna. 

Liberati, con il denaro portato, altri prigionieri, i due mercedari tornarono in patria, ma Pietro portò per sempre sul suo corpo, i segni di quella tragica e bella vicenda: un pallore sul viso e le vertebre del collo distorte. 

I superiori lo inviarono al convento dell’Ordine sito nel suo paese natale, Guardia de Prats; così i concittadini testimoni della sua efferatezza, poterono ammirarlo per la sua santità e penitenza. 

Si ammalò gravemente, predicendo la data della sua morte, che avvenne il 27 aprile 1304; prima dei solenni funerali, furono guariti dalle loro malattie, tre uomini e quattro donne. 

La sua biografia fu scritta e presentata come documento notarile, pochi giorni dopo la sua morte e avallata dalla firma di cinque confratelli, fra i quali il padre Guglielmo Fiorentino. 

Papa Innocenzo XI, il 28 marzo 1686 approvò il suo culto ‘immemorabile’ e la festa fu fissata al 27 aprile, data della sua morte.

Autore: Antonio Borrelli