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November 4 is the Feast of Saint Charles Borromeo. Although not depicted on any stamps issued by Vatican City, he played a vital role in the history of the Church during the period of Catholic reform in the 16th century. Saint Charles was born on October 2, 1538, in Milan, into a noble family related to the powerful Medici family. When his uncle was elected Pope Pius IV in 1559, Charles was named cardinal-deacon and administrator of the Archdiocese of Milan, despite still being a student and layman. He went on to fill several important offices within the Vatican, including secretary of state. Upon the death of his elder brother, he made the decision to be ordained a priest, and soon thereafter, at the age of 25, was consecrated bishop of Milan. Saint Charles participated in the Council of Trent. Saint Vigilio Cathedral, show in the stamp above, was the principal site of the Council. Working behind the scenes, Saint Charles deserves credit for keeping the Council in session when at several points it was on the verge of breaking up. He encouraged the pope to renew the Council in 1562 (after it had been suspended for 10 years), and he took responsibility for the Council's correspondence during its final phase. Following the conclusion of the Council, Saint Charles was finally able to take up residence in Milan and to devote time to the Archdiocese, where reform was needed among both clergy and laity. In his view, if the people were to be converted to a better life, a good example was needed from the top. Saint Charles certainly led by example. During the plague and famine of 1576, when civil authorities abandoned the city, he stayed and tried to feed the hungry (around 60,000 to 70,000 people per day) and minister to the sick and the dying. The burdens of his efforts affected Saint Charles's health, and he died at the young age of 46 on November 3, 1584. He was beatified on May 12, 1602 and was subsequently canonized by Pope Paul V on November 1, 1610. Saint Charles Borromeo is widely venerated within the Catholic Church. In addition to his feast day (November 4), he is the patron of bishops, catechists, cardinals, seminarians, spiritual leaders, Lombardy (Italy), Monterey (California) and Sao Carlos (Brazil). A shrine in honor of Saint Charles is found in the Milan Cathedral, where he served as bishop (the Cathedral is shown in the stamp at the top right of this article). In addition, there are many churches world-wide named in his honor. On a personal note, there was a Saint Charles Borromeo Parish in my hometown of Waltham, Massachusetts (right up the street from the home of my uncle and aunt). References: Franciscan Media, Saint of the Day, Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Online, St. Charles Borromeo Vatican Philatelic Society website, www.vaticanstamps.org, Stamp Database Search | |||||||||
