Venerated in Roman Catholic Church Attributes Franciscan habit | Feast 17 June | |
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Died 17 June 1435, Venice, Italy | ||
Blessed Pietro Gambacorta (15 February 1355 - 17 June 1435) was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and the co-founder of the Poor Hermits of St. Jerome. He was a professed religious from the Third Order of Saint Francis and co-founded his order in Rome alongside Blessed Nicola da Forca Palena.
Contents
Pope Innocent XII beatified him on 9 November 1693.
Life
Pietro Gambacorta was born in the Republic of Pisa in 1355 as the son of a government official and the brother of Blessed Chiara Gambacorta. His brothers were Lorenzo and Benedetto. His father and brothers were all killed on 21 October 1392.
Aged 22 he experienced a sudden conversion and decided to become a beggar. In 1380 he left home in favor of leading a life of begging and one of hermitage on Monte Cessano in the Umbria province while also becoming a professed member of the Third Order of Saint Francis. He once converted a band of thieves to the faith and also rallied them to his life of hermitage which laid the foundations to the Poor Hermits of Saint Jerome that he himself designed. These twelve thieves repented when they saw his austerity and piety. Pope Urban VI approved the rule for his hermitage while he was in Umbria. He co-established the order in Rome on a visit alongside Blessed Nicola da Forca Palena. The order received initial approval from Pope Martin V in 1420 but received full approval from Pope Eugene IV in 1446.
He died on 17 June 1435 and his order was later dissolved under Pope Pius XI in 1933. His remains are housed in the church of Saint Jerome in Venice.
Beatification
Pope Innocent XII beatified him on 9 November 1693.