Vicente Carducho (1576–1638), Martirio de san Pedro Armengol, premier tiers du XVIIe siècle, 210 x 138, Museo de la Trinidad, Museo del Prado / musée du Prado, Madrid.
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
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/6698/Saint-Pierre-Armengol.html
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.
Pedro
Armengol na capela anexa a Santa María de Conxo (Santiago de Compostela)
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
28 March 1686 by Pope Innocent
XI (cultus
confirmed)
14 October 1688 (added
to Roman Martyrology)
for the conversion of young
people
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Roman
Martyrology, 1914 edition
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other
sites in english
images
video
llocs
web en català
sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
fonti
in italiano
nettsteder
i norsk
MLA
Citation
‘Blessed Peter
Armengol‘. CatholicSaints.Info. 27 April 2024. Web. 2 April 2026.
<https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-peter-armengol/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-peter-armengol/
Book of Saints –
Peter Armangaud
Article
(Saint) Martyr (April
27) (14th
century) A Spanish Saint who,
in atonement for the sinfulness of his early life, devoted himself heroically
to the work of liberating Christians held
in slavery by
the Moors, for which purpose he obtained admission to the Order
of Our Lady of Ransom. He had already rescued one hundred and
nineteen Christians,
when he felt inspired to offer himself as pledge or hostage for eighteen Christian children.
Through some mishap, the ransom for these was not paid at the stipulated date,
and the Saint was hanged.
But on that very same day, an hour or so later, the ransom reached Algiers, and
the holy man taken down from the gibbet was found to be still breathing.
Conducted back to Spain,
he lingered on for another ten years, dying A.D. 1304.
MLA
Citation
Monks of Ramsgate. “Peter
Armangaud”. Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info.
30 September 2016. Web. 2 April 2026. <https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-peter-armangaud/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-peter-armangaud/
Bl. Peter Armengol
Feastday: April 27
1238-1304 Member of a
noble Catalonian family, he is said in an extravagant story to have become an
outlaw, almost killing his father in an ambush, whereupon he joined the
Mercedarians. He twice went from Spain to Africa to
redeem captives/ held as a hostage, he was hanged , but found to be alive by
another missioner who had been delayed. He continued his work of rescuing
Christians from the Mooors for ten more years. He died near Tarragona,
Slpain.His feastday is
April 27.
SOURCE : https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=520
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).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0427.shtml
Blessed Peter Armengol
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.”
SOURCE : http://365rosaries.blogspot.ca/2011/04/april-27-blessed-peter-armengol.html
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.
Posted 29th April
2013 by John
Paul Hare
SOURCE : http://dynamicyouthalive.blogspot.ca/2013/04/saint-peter-armengol-o.html
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'Église Catholique, vol. 20, Gaume
Frères Libraires, Paris, 1845, pp. 40-43.
Pedro
Armengol Serapion of Algiers Mariana de Jesús Statues of Our Lady of Lavang in
the Philippines Ivory tower Our Lady of the Flowers Queen of the Patriarch
House of gold Statues of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Philippines; these
statues are part of the Marian Exhibit, May 2018 in SM City Baliwag 14°57'36"N
120°53'26"E (Note: Judge Florentino Floro, the owner, to repeat,
Donor Florentino Floro of all these photos
hereby donate gratuitously, freely and unconditionally Judge Floro all these
photos to and for Wikimedia Commons, exclusively, for public use of the public
domain, and again without any condition whatsoever).
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
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51075
St.
Peter Ermengol's burial in the church of St. Jaume at La Guàrdia dels Prats
(Tarragona)
Arqueta
amb les restes de Sant Pere Ermengol a l'església de Sant Jaume de la Guàrdia dels Prats
Den salige Peter Armengol
(1238-1304)
Minnedag:
27. april
Den salige Peter Armengol
(sp: Pedro) ble født i 1238 i Guardia de Prats ved Montblanch i provinsen
Tarragona i regionen Catalonia i Spania (da i kongeriket Aragón). Han var sønn
av Arnold Armengol som tilhørte slekten til grevene av Urgell i de spanske østlige
Pyreneene. Han levde et innholdløst og hovmodig liv på kanten av loven og
havnet i dårlig selskap, og til slutt var han blitt leder av en bande
banditter.
Kong Jakob I av Aragón
(1213-76) sendte væpnede menn til området for å bli kvitt bandittuvesenet, og
han satte dem under kommando av Arnold Armengol. Den tyveårige Peter ledet
bandittbanden med sverdet i hånden, men plutselig fant han seg ansikt til
ansikt med sin egen far. Han innså da plutselig hvilket falskt liv han hadde
ført, og han la ned sverdet og ba om tilgivelse. Hans fars prestisje berget ham
fra hans fortjente straff, og han bestemte seg for å begynne et fullstendig
nytt liv.
I 1258 sluttet den
tyveårige Peter seg til mercedarierordenen, som var grunnlagt av den
hellige Peter
Nolasco (ca 1182-1256) for å hjelpe de kristne slavene som var falt i
muslimenes hender. De tok navn etter den løsesummen, på spansk «merced», som de
skulle samle inn og som de skulle kjøpe fri de kristne fangene for. Det
offisielle navnet på ordenen er «Mercedarierordenen for Frikjøping av
fanger» (Ordo Beatae Mariae Virginis de Mercede redemptionis captivorum –
OdeM). Medlemmene kalles også Nolascanere etter sin grunnlegger.
Peter ble opptatt i ordenen av Peter Nolascos etterfølger som ordensgeneral,
Vilhelm av Bas.
Først gjorde Peter bot i
kloster i flere år, men deretter brukte han all sin energi til å kjøpe fri
fanger fra de muslimske maurerne, først i Granada og Murcia. Deretter reiste
han til Algerie på en enda vanskeligere og mer krevende misjon. På to måneder
klarte han å kjøpe fri 346 slaver som fikk reise tilbake til hjemlandet, og i
havnebyen Béjaïa kjøpte han fri enda 119 kristne sammen med noen medbrødre.
Til slutt engasjerte han
seg i løskjøpingen av barneslaver i Béjaïa. Atten kristne barn var i ferd med å
tvangsomvendes til islam, og han klarte å forhandle frem deres løslatelse for
30.000 dukater. Men da han ikke hadde en slik sum disponibel, tilbød han seg
selv som gissel, som ordenens fjerde løfte foreskrev, og tilbudet ble
akseptert.
Under sitt
fengselsopphold var han til stor trøst for de andre fangene, og han skal også
ha klart å konvertere mange muslimer. På grunn av sin kristne tro ble han
utsatt for fryktelig tortur, og derfor blir han betraktet som martyr, selv om
han ikke døde av mishandlingen.
Tradisjonen forteller
imidlertid at myndighetene til slutt ble lei av å vente på pengene og så med
stadig større misbilligelse på Peters forkynnelse. Derfor valgte de å tiltale
ham som spion og dømte ham til døden ved henging. Dødsdommen ble raskt
eksekvert og han ble hengt i en streng og etterlatt til gribbene. Men like
etter kom hans medbror Vilhelm av Firenze med de 30.000 dukatene, og da han
fikk høre om hengingen, dro han straks til stedet. Selv om det var gått seks
dager, var Peter fortsatt i live, og det ble straks at Jomfru Maria på
mirakuløst vis hadde holdt ham oppe. En annen versjon forteller at han i siste
sekund ble reddet fra strengen av sin bror.
Pengene fikk satt ham
fri, og de to mercedarierne dro tilbake til Spania. Peter skulle alltid bære
synlige tegn på sin opplevelse, med et likblekt ansikt og ødelagte halsvirvler.
Etter at han kom tilbake til hjemlandet, sendte hans overordnede ham til
klosteret Santa María dels Prats i hjembyen Guardia de Prats, hvor hans
medbrødre kunne beundre hans hellighet. Der førte han et botsliv helt til han
døde ti år senere. Men historien om ham i den form den er bevart, er av ytterst
tvilsom autentisitet.
Peter ble til slutt syk,
forutsa sin egen dødstime og døde den 28. april 1304 i Guardia de Prats ved
Tarragona. Før begravelsen ble tre syke menn og fire kvinner helbredet. Hans
biografi ble skrevet få dager etter hans død og bekreftet av en notar og fem
medbrødre, blant dem p. Vilhelm av Firenze.
Han ble saligkåret den
28. mars 1686 ved at hans kult (som martyr) «fra uminnelige tider» ble
stadfestet av den salige pave Innocent XI (1676-89).
Hans minnedag er 27. april. Hans navn står i Martyrologium Romanum.
Den 24. september feires
minnedagen for Vår
Frue av Mercede, som ble innført for å minnes grunnleggelsen av
mercedarierordenen.
Kilder:
Attwater/Cumming, Benedictines, Bunson, Schauber/Schindler, Index99, KIR, CSO,
Patron Saints SQPN, Infocatho, Heiligenlexikon, santiebeati.it,
orderofmercy.org - Kompilasjon og oversettelse: p. Per Einar Odden -
Opprettet: 2000-06-04 21:05 - - Sist oppdatert: 2008-05-31 00:10
SOURCE : https://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/parmengo
Pintura
amb Sant Pere Ermengol penjat, sostingut per àngels, a l'església de Sant Jaume
de la Guàrdia dels Prats, sobre la tomba del sant.
San Pedro Armengol
Pedro Armengol, San. ¿La Guardia de los Prados (Tarragona)?, c. 1230 – 27.V.1304. Religioso mercedario (OdeM), redentor de cautivos, santo popular.
Biografía
La figura de Pedro
Ermengol es recreada en la segunda mitad del siglo XVI en el contexto
hagiográfico de la contrarreforma hispana, el culto popular a las reliquias y
el afán de órdenes religiosas como la mercedaria para reinterpretar sus
orígenes y dotarse de un santoral específico, además de promover determinados
santuarios. La recreación sigue el mismo patrón que otras coetáneas: la previa
existencia de una veneración de reliquias poco conocidas en un centro menor
dependiente de la orden, la identificación de estos restos con los de un
personaje de alta alcurnia, señalado en vida por prodigios portentosos, un
comportamiento ejemplar dentro de la orden religiosa, sufrimiento de martirio
sin pérdida de vida por intervención milagrosa, capacidad taumatúrgica en vida
y tras la muerte y suscitación de gran devoción popular.
El Convento de la Merced
de la Guardia de Prats (veguería de Montblanc, actual provincia de Tarragona),
vinculado desde el siglo XIV al de la vecina villa de Montblanc, custodiaba
desde el siglo XV unas reliquias atribuidas a un mercedario denominado Pedro.
A partir de este dato, en
el siglo XVI se desarrolla el mencionado guión explicativo, y ya en 1588
Francisco Zumel, en su obra sobre la Orden de la Merced, incluye una completa
biografía de Pedro Ermengol.
Se le describe nacido en
la Guardia de Prats en el siglo XIII, descendiente de los condes de Urgel,
convertido a la práctica religiosa tras una vida agitada, pasando a ser un
mercedario ejemplar en su tarea redentorista llevada a cabo en los reinos de
Murcia y de Granada y en África, donde se ofrecería como rehén para liberar
cautivos y sufriría martirio al ser ahorcado por los infieles, si bien sería
milagrosamente salvado para regresar a Barcelona y, finalmente, al convento
situado en su pueblo natal. Aquí fallecería en 1304, explicándose así la existencia
de sus reliquias.
Esta biografía es asumida
por otros autores mercedarios en el siglo XVII y promovida para su
reconocimiento como santo de la Orden de la Merced. En 1612 el arzobispo de
Tarragona reconoce la existencia del culto popular y autoriza la conmemoración
el 1 de septiembre, y en 1686 el papa Inocencio XI aprueba el culto de Pedro
Ermengol como santo ab inmemorabili. Poco después, en 1694, se promueve la
construcción de una espaciosa capilla de tres altares en La Guardia de Prats
para albergar sus reliquias y mostrarlas ante los devotos peregrinos, la cual
fue inaugurada en 1702.
Los conocimientos históricos actuales tanto del contexto donde se pretendió situar al personaje como del marco en que surge la biografía, permiten descartar, con plena seguridad, su existencia real.
Bibliografía
V. Doménech, Historia
General de los Santos y Varones Ilustres en santidad del Principado de Cataluña,
Gerona, Gaspar Garrich librero, 1630
M. Sancho, Vida de
San Pedro Armengol, Barcelona, 1904
G. Pacer, “San Pedro
Armengol”, en La Merced, Madrid, marzo de 1953, págs. 63 y ss.
E. Gómez, “Armengol,
Pedro, OM”, en Q. Aldea Vaquero, T. Marín Martínez y J. Vives Gatell
(dirs.), Diccionario de la Historia Eclesiástica de España, vol. I,
Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto Enrique
Flórez, 1972, pág. 95
VV. AA., La Guàrdia
dels Prats i la seva església. Treballs en el VII Centenari de la mort de Sant
Pere Ermengol (1304-2004), Valls, Cossetània edicions, 2004.
Autor/es
Flocel Sabaté Curull
SOURCE : https://historia-hispanica.rah.es/biografias/35834-san-pedro-armengol
