Pacificus of San Severino

{{Infobox saint |image =Pacificus of San Severino.jpg |imagesize = |caption = |honorific_prefix = Saint |name = Pacificus of San Severino |honorific_suffix = O.F.M. |birth_date = {{birth date|1653|03|01|df=yes}} |birth_place = San Severino, Macerata, Papal States |death_date = {{death date and age|1721|09|24|1653|03|01|df=yes}} |death_place = San Severino, Macerata, Papal States |titles = Priest |resting_place = |major_shrine = |venerated_in = Roman Catholic Church |feast_day = 24 September |attributes = Franciscan habit |patronage = San Severino Marche |beatified_date = 4 August 1786 |beatified_place = Saint Peter's Basilica, Papal States |beatified_by = Pope Pius VI |canonized_date = 26 May 1839 |canonized_place = Saint Peter's Basilica, Papal States |canonized_by = Pope Gregory XVI }}

'''Pacificus of San Severino''' (1 March 1653 – 24 September 1721), born '''Carlo Antonio Divini''', was an Italian Roman Catholic priest known for being a miracle-worker.

He was beatified on 4 August 1786, and canonized as a saint in 1839.

==Life== Carlo Antonio Divini was born at San Severino as the youngest of thirteen children of the nobles Antonio Maria and Mariangela Bruni Divini. His parents died not long after his Confirmation when he was aged three. He was raised by his maternal uncle Luzizio Bruni, archdeacon of the Cathedral of San Severino, a good and cultured man, but far too strict to care for a small child.<ref name=daily>[https://newdailycompass.com/en/saint-pacificus-1-1 "Saint Pacificus", ''Daily Compass'']</ref> In December 1670 he took the Franciscan habit in the Order of the Reformati at Forano in the March of Ancona,<ref name=bihl>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11383a.htm Bihl, Michael. "St. Pacificus of San Severino." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 15 May 2018</ref> taking the name "Pacificus".

Pacificus was ordained to the priesthood on 4 June 1678 and served as professor of philosophy for the next six years for the newer members of the order at Fossombrone. Following this he worked for four or five years as a missionary in the surrounding area.<ref>[https://ofm-indonesia.org/penginjilan-spiritualitas-fransiskan/santo-santa-fransiskan/september/24-september-st-pacifico-dari-san-severino/ "St. Pacifico dari San Severino" OFM-Indonesia]</ref> He is described as "... tall, thin man with pale skin, an eagle nose, a clear voice and a modest and friendly appearance."<ref name=Odden/>

Although in poor health, he walked a good part of central-northern Italy to preach. In 1684, his health began to fail. Suffering lameness and deafness in addition to blindness he was unable to continue giving missions and then cultivated the contemplative life. Subject all his life long to intense bodily pains, "he sought for comfort and relief in God alone, and was by him favoured with marvellous supernatural graces and with the gift of working miracles".<ref>[https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-pacificus Monks of Ramsgate. “Pacificus”. ''Book of Saints'', 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 3 May 2017]</ref> He was said to have "borne his ills with angelic patience, worked several miracles, and was favoured by God with ecstasies".<ref name=bihl/> It is said that he predicted the terrible earthquake that devastated Abruzzo in 1703.<ref name=daily/>

Despite chronic ill health, he moved between the monasteries of San Severino and Forano, holding responsible positions in both places. From 1692 to 1693, he held the post of Guardian in the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in San Severino, where he later died on 24 September 1721.<ref name=bihl/>

==Veneration== Crowds turned out for his funeral and miracles were soon reported at his grave. In 1725 his mortal remains were placed in the abbey church.<ref name=Odden>[https://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/pseverin Odden, Per Einar. "Den hellige Pacificus av San Severino (1653-1721)", Den katolske kirke, December 24, 2005]</ref>

The canonization process commenced in 1740 under Pope Benedict XIV, in a move that accorded him the title of Servant of God as the first stage. Pope Pius VI beatified him on 4 August 1786. The following year, Pacificus' relics were covered by a wax figure, placed in a glass coffin and moved to a chapel built in his honor.<ref name=Odden/> Pope Gregory XVI canonized him on 26 May 1839. His feast is celebrated on 24 September.<ref>[https://www.smp.org/resourcecenter/resource/7341/ "Saint Pacifico of San Severino (1653-1721)", St. Mary's Press]</ref> Pacificus is considered the patron saint of those with chronic pain.

Locations named in honor of Pacificus are relatively few; one church in North America, a chapel in Humphrey, New York, bears his name. The Latin Catholic Church of Büyükada [Prinkipo] in Istanbul, Turkey, called San Pacifico Latin Catholic Church, is dedicated to Pacificus.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://adalarturizm.org/cms/en/component/k2/item/108-buyukada-the-roman-catholic-church-of-san-pacifico | title=Büyükada - the Roman Catholic Church of San Pacifico - Princes' Islands Tourism Development Center }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}} {{catholic|wstitle=St. Pacificus of San Severino}}

==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/71900 San Pacifico da Sanseverino Marche] {{in lang|it}}

{{Subject bar |portal1=Saints |portal2= Biography |portal3= Catholicism |portal4= Italy}}

Category:1653 births Category:1721 deaths Category:17th-century Christian saints Category:17th-century venerated Christians Category:17th-century Italian Roman Catholic priests Category:18th-century Christian saints Category:18th-century venerated Christians Category:18th-century Italian Roman Catholic priests Category:Beatifications by Pope Pius VI Category:Incorrupt saints Category:People from San Severino Marche Category:People from Macerata Category:Reformed Franciscans Category:Italian Roman Catholic saints Category:Canonizations by Pope Gregory XVI Category:Franciscan saints Category:Miracle workers