History of St. Conrad

HISTORY OF ST. CONRAD

History of St. Conrad
Corrado Confalonieri (Calendasco, 1290 Noto, February 19, 1351) is revered as a saint by the Catholic Church celebrates the liturgical memorial on Feb. 19. He is revered in the family of the Franciscan Third Order Regular (TOR). Penitent, Tertiary Franciscan pilgrim, then lived a life anchorite, a hermit.

In his long wandering, itinerant hermit in accordance with the Franciscan tradition, Corrado cross Italy to the south, praying at the tombs of the Apostles in Rome, until they reach its final destination, Noto, Sicily, around 1340.

Here binds a close friendship with William Buccheri, an old squire of Frederick II of Aragon, which led to the vicissitudes of life make a choice of hermit-like Conrad. Corrado Buccheri in so-called host cells, an isolated neighborhood near the Church of the Crucified One, where it remained for about two years until the start of his travels when his hermitage is compromised by the growing number of people who ask him prayers and advice.

Corrado suffer all this attention and moved to remote areas and desert, his only thought is closer to God, it does not feel the need for anything material. It is like an ascetic life of the great Fathers of the desert: in fact he becomes xeniteta, that leaves his native country, Piacenza, forgetful of all infections: in fact, the Fathers teach that to be more free from the worries of the world need to get rid of all the passions and practices of the material world, not least to their closest relatives.

San Corrado is a Tertiary, they were very numerous in Piacenza (the city which hosted a meeting which has become the first General Chapter held in tertiary lay 1280), both men and women, this religious way of life then you will see a whole evolution, the orientation community life expresses itself through the centuries, in many autonomous congregations of monks and nuns.

Conrad died at his cave February 19, 1351 with the confessor at his side. The story tells of a passing place on your knees and praying with his eyes, a position maintained even after death, while a light enveloped the Cave Pizzoni.

Will be buried in the Church of St. Nicholas in Noto Antica, according to his will.
Then the body is moved to the Cathedral of Noto, where he is venerated by many centuries.