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Blessed Anthony Patrizi
and the Blessed of Lecceto
October 9
Anthony Patrizi (died 1311?) was an Augustinian noted for his sanctity.
He was born sometime in the thirteenth century, although the date is not known. He belonged to a prominent family in Siena.
Anthony lived most of his life in the Augustinian Monastery of Lecceto. This was a contemplative monastery renowned for the holiness of its members.
The book A Brief Life of Some Hermit Friars by the Anonymous Florentine recounts this story of Anthony's death around the year 1311:
Anthony was travelling to Camerata to visit a friend, Friar Peter of Florence. He stopped at the Augustinian house in Monticiano to spend the night. During the night he died.
An elderly couple who lived nearby had been gravely ill for some time. The night of Anthony's death, their caregivers were looking out a window of the sick couple's house which faced the monastery. They saw coming from the monastery a brilliant light that appeared to touch the sky.
They thought at first that the monastery had caught fire. But as they watched they saw that it was not a fire after all. They concluded that there must be in the monastery someone whose holiness touched the heavens.
They called to the sick couple, who came to the window and saw the light. The couple began to pray, asking that the source of that light would heal them of their illness. Immediately they were restored to health.
They went to the monastery, told the Friars what had happened and asked to see the holy man. The Friars went to the room of their guest and discovered that Anthony had died that night.
The October 9 memorial recalls not only Anthony Patrizi, but also the entire Augustinian community at Lecceto, where the Friars were indeed "united in mind and heart intent upon God". --Rule of Saint Augustine
