May
St. John of God
This week a good friend had an internal defibrillator installed. I walked around the store today trying to find something that says “stay well” to a brilliant, German speaking guy with a quirky sense of humor. The saints are always on my early list of gift ideas, but I wasn’t sure offhand who the patron saint of heart ailment was. St. John of God was one of the reformed series of Saints – someone who worked in later life to make up for the sin or excess in his earlier years. In 1522 St John enlisted in the military where he served until going back to his roots as a shepherd. At approximately age 40, St John gave himself to God and eventually devoted himself to the care of the sick. Trivia
- Soon after giving his life to God, St John behaved as a madman in a belief that he was following St. John of Avilla’s directions to draw humiliations to oneself. John f Avila helped him leave the asylum and find a new path
- St. John laid the groundwork for the Brothers Hospitallers of St John
- Birth date and Death date were March 8
Facts
- Born in Portugal – 1495
- Feast Day – MRXH 8
- Cannonized 1690 by Pope Alexander VIII
- Died on March 8, 1550
Patron Saint of
- Heart Ailments
- Booksellers
- Dying people
- Firefighters
- Hospital workers
- Publishers
Symbols
- alms
- cord
- crown of thorns
- heart
Also Know As
- San Juan de Dios
- San João de Deus
Sites to Research St. John of God