Saint Vincent Ferrer is the patron saint of builders because of his fame for “building up” and strengthening the Church: through his preaching, missionary work, in his teachings, as confessor and adviser.  At Valencia in Spain, this illustrious son of St. Dominic came into the world on January 23, 1357. In the year 1374, he entered the Order of St. Dominic in a monastery near his native city. Of a very ardent nature, Vincent practiced the austerities of his Order with great energy. He was chosen prior of the Dominican house in Valencia shortly after his ordination.

Soon after his profession he was commissioned to deliver lectures on philosophy. On being sent to Barcelona, he continued his scholastic duties and at the same time devoted himself to preaching. At Lerida, the famous university city of Catalonia, he received his doctorate. After this he labored six years in Valencia, during which time he perfected himself in the Christian life. In 1390, he was obliged to accompany Cardinal Pedro de Luna to France, but he soon returned home.

The Western Schism divided Christianity first between two, then three, popes. Clement VII lived at Avignon in France, Urban VI in Rome. Vincent was convinced the election of Urban was invalid (though Catherine of Siena was just as devoted a supporter of the Roman pope). In the service of Cardinal de Luna, he worked to persuade Spaniards to follow Clement. When Clement died, Cardinal de Luna was elected at Avignon and became Benedict XIII.

When, in 1394, de Luna himself had become Pope at Avignon he summoned St. Vincent and made him Master of the sacred palace. In this capacity St. Vincent made unsuccessful efforts to put an end to the great schism. He refused all ecclesiastical dignities, even the cardinal’s hat, and only craved to be appointed apostolical missionary.

He tried, unsuccessfully, in 1408 and 1415, to persuade his former friend to resign. He finally concluded that Benedict was not the true pope. Though very ill, he mounted the pulpit before an assembly over which Benedict himself was presiding and thundered his denunciation of the man who had ordained him a priest. Benedict fled for his life, abandoned by those who had formerly supported him.

Now began those labors that made him the famous missionary of the fourteenth century. An eloquent and fiery preacher, he spent the last 20 years of his life spreading the Good News in Spain, France, Switzerland, the Low Countries and Lombardy, stressing the need of repentance and the fear of coming judgment. (He became known as the “Angel of the Judgment.”) Numerous conversions followed his preaching, which God Himself assisted by the gift of miracles. He lived to behold the end of the great schism and the election of Pope Martin V. Finally, crowned with labors, he died April 5, 1419. His feast day is April 5.

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21 COMMENTS

    • Thank you my patron saint St. Vincent Ferrer for your prayers, I am what I am now. With your prayers, many miracles happened in my life.

  1. Thank you my patron saint St. Vincent Ferrer for your prayers, I am what I am now. With your prayers, many miracles happened in my life.

  2. April 5th: Feast Day of Saint Vincent Ferrer. Child Prodigy, Angelic Theologian, Feared by Demons, Raised Up More Than 28 Dead Persons. Gifted with bilocation (he can be in 2 places at the same time). A missionary with an amazing gift of tongues. His only language was Limousin, the dialect of his hometown Valencia, Spain but he was fully understood and clearly heared by tens of thousands of people in plazas or squares wherever he preached wherein Arabs, Irish, Jews, Germans, Italians, French, Dutch, English, etc. understood him clearly without any need of a microphone or interpreter. Because of his amazing miracles, he converted thousands of Arabs, Jews, heretics, pagans to the Catholic Church. He did more than 3,000 great miracles in his lifetime. One of the greatest miracle workers the Catholic Church and the world has ever seen.

  3. St.Vincent Ferrer,,,,,,,we give thanks,,,,,,your brilliance, your following, your miracles, your works!!!!!
    Christ has always walked by your side!
    St.Vincent,,,,,,because of your FAITH,,,,,,,,you have shown US ,,with,,JESUS CHRIST ,,,,,,EVERYTHING is POSSIBLE!!!!!!
    I am AMAZED,,,,,,, how much you ACHIEVED, you NEVER LOOKED BACK!!!!!!!!!!
    Please,St.Vincent, send to us men who want to be PRIESTS!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Lord Jesus Christ, your love conquers all and never fails. Help us to love others freely, with heart-felt compassion, kindness and goodness. Where there is injury, may we sow peace rather than strife. Saint Vincent Ferrer, please pray and intercede for us. Amen.

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