John of Montfort, Bl.

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JOHN OF MONTFORT, BL.

Nobleman from Voralberg, Knight Templar, crusader; d. Famagusta, Cyprus, 1177, 1200, or 1248. He was wounded in a battle at Jerusalem against the Saracens and died as a result, after having been taken to Cyprus. His body was translated to the abbey church of Beaulieu, Nicosia, where it was venerated until the Turkish conquest (1571). The native Cypriots have venerated him as blessed. Through the counts of Montfort he was commemorated also in the region of Langnau, Switzerland.

Feast: May 24 (formerly May 25 on Cyprus).

Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum, May 5:273. a. m. zimmermann, Kalendarium Benedictinum: Die Heiligen und Seligen des Benediktinerorderns und seiner Zweige 2:220221. j. hackett, A History of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus (London 1901). m. kervran, Les grandes heures de Jean de Montfort et de Jeanne la Flamme (Mayenne 1981).

[m. a. habig]