Saint Who?
Saints Who Promoted Marian Devotion
Seven Founders of the Servite Order
Priests and religious († 13th and early 14th c.)Feast: February 17
Bonfilius, Alexis, John, Benedict, Bartholomew, Gerard, and Ricoverus were wealthy cloth merchants in Florence. Two were married, two were widowers, and three were unmarried. All of them belonged to a lay brotherhood known as the Laudesi or “Praisers.” Under the guidance of their chaplain, they cultivated a deep love for Mary and a renunciation of worldly things.
On the feast of the Assumption in 1233, the Virgin Mary appeared to them. The vision inspired the seven men to withdraw entirely from the world. With their bishop’s permission, they made provisions for their dependents and began a life of intense penance and prayer. They were reluctant to form a religious order, but submitted to the advice of a cardinal who urged them to both relax their penances somewhat and accept new members. Inspired by a second vision of Mary, they founded the Order of the Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or Servites.
The order grew rapidly and fruitfully. It was largely responsible for cultivating the devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary: Simeon’s prophecy, the flight into Egypt, the loss of Jesus in Jerusalem, meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary, the crucifixion, taking Jesus’ body down from the cross, and the burial of Jesus. The seven founders died between 1261 and 1310, and were canonized together in 1888.
Mother of Sorrows, pray for us now
and at the hour of our death.
