Feast of San Giovanni de Matha

San Giovanni de Matha, ora pro nobis

February 8th is the Feast of St. John of Matha (b. 1160, Faucon-de-Barcelonnette — d. 1213, Rome), Mystic, Confessor and co-founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives (Trinitarians). According to tradition, an angel wearing a red and azure cross on his chest briefly appeared to St. John while he celebrated his first Holy Mass. By the seraph’s side were two chained slaves, a Christian and a Moor. Placing his hands on their heads the apparition disappeared.

Years later, still unsure what the vision meant, St. John was walking in the forest of Meaux (near Paris) with his friend and spiritual teacher St. Felix of Valois (1127-1212). Out of nowhere, a magnificent stag appeared with a red and azure cross between its antlers. The similarity of the crosses could not be overlooked, so St. John recounted to his mentor what he had seen years earlier. 

Red and azure Cross of the Order

Over the next three nights, the holy men were visited in their dreams by Our Lord Jesus Christ, who revealed His desire for them to found a new order for the redemption of slaves. Seeking the approval of Pope Innocent III (1161-1216), they set out to Rome and explained to the Holy Father what had happened. Later, while celebrating Mass, the Pope had the same celestial vision of an angel with slaves that St. John had described and gave his blessing to their request to establish a new congregation.

The Trinitarian Order and Rule of St. John de Matha were officially approved on December 17, 1198 and they immediately began ransoming Christian captives abducted from Europe's mediterranean coast and sold off in the slave markets and bazaars of Asia and Africa. They are believed to have liberated as many as 140,000 slaves.

In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. John of Matha. The accompanying photo, courtesy of Anthony Scillia, was taken at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Evviva San Giovanni de Matha!

Prayer to St. John of Matha

Glorious St. John of Matha, thou who wast inflamed with a great love of God and a tender compassion for thy neighbor, and wast divinely chosen to found the famous Order of the Holy Trinity, and didst spend thy days in glorifying that assurable mystery and in redeeming Christians from the most miserable slavery; obtain for us, we beseech thee, the grace to pass our lives also in glorifying the most blessed Trinity, and in doing good to our neighbor, by works of Christian charity, so that it may be our happy portion to enjoy in Heaven the blessed vision of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen