Feast of Beato Gerardo, Knight of the White Cross

Beato Gerardo Sasso, ora pro nobis

October 13th is the feast of Blessed Gerardo Sasso (c.1040–1120), Benedictine oblate and Knight Hospitaller. Missionary to the Holy Land, he was the founding Grand Master of the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. In celebration, I’m posting the prayer to Blessed Gerardo. The image of Blessed Gerardo in the Hospital of Jerusalem by Mattia Preti at the Oratory of St. John's Co-Cathedral comes courtesy of the Order of Malta. Evviva Beato Gerardo Sasso!

Prayer to Blessed Gerardo 

O God, who exalted blessed Gérard because of his care for the poor and the sick, and through him founded in Jerusalem the Order of St. John the Baptist, give us the grace of seeing, as he did, the image of your Son in our brothers and sisters. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit One God, for ever and ever. Amen.