Angelo of Acri, Bl.
ANGELO OF ACRI, BL.
Famous Capuchin preacher; b. Luke Anthony Falcone, Acri, Calabria, Italy, Oct. 19, 1669; d. there, Oct. 30, 1739. He was born of poor parents. After two attempts and two failures, he was invested a third time in the Capuchin Order in 1690; this time he persevered and was ordained in 1702. While Leonard of Port Maurice won fame by his preaching in northern Italy, Angelo did the same in southern Italy. Until his death, he preached home missions and at Forty Hours Devotions. His confreres elected him provincial of the Capuchin province of Cosenze in 1717. In Acritania he founded a convent of Capuchinesses (1725), for whom he wrote his only work, a book of prayers on Christ's sufferings. On Oct. 24, 1739, he became ill of a fever; he died a few days later. He was beatified by Pope Leo XII on Dec. 18, 1825. His cause of canonization was reintroduced in 1853 and is still active.
Feast: July 30.
Bibliography: Lexikon Capuccinum (Rome 1951) 71–72. a. range, "Angelus of Acri," Round Table of Franciscan Research 24 (1959) 42–48; "Makings of a Saint," ibid. 13–19. Acta Sanctorum Oct. 13:658–682. Analecta Ordinis Fratrum Minorum Cappucinorum 1–70, see index.
[c. kronzer]