Amato Ronconi (1226 – 8 May 1292) was an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
who became a professed member of the
Secular Franciscan Order
The Secular Franciscan Order ( la, Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis; abbreviated OFS) is the third branch of the Franciscan Family formed by Catholic men and women who seek to observe the Gospel of Jesus by following the example of Francis of Assisi ...
. Ronconi lived a life of penitence and dedicated all his works to the poor through the construction of chapels and hospitals – one such hospital still exists in his home of
Rimini
Rimini ( , ; rgn, Rémin; la, Ariminum) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It sprawls along the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia (the ancient ''Ariminu ...
. His good deeds never went unnoticed for the townspeople hailed Ronconi as a saint in their midst even in the face of a slanderous accusation a jealous sister-in-law spread.
The confirmation of his popular local "cultus" – or enduring veneration – allowed for
Pope Pius VI to celebrate his beatification on 17 April 1776 while
Pope Francis
Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...
canonized Ronconi centuries later on 23 November 2014 in
Saint Peter's Square.
Life
Amato Ronconi was born in 1225 in
Saludecio
Saludecio ( rgn, Saludécc) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, about southeast of Bologna and about southeast of Rimini. It borders the municipalities of Mondaino, Montefiore Conca, Mon ...
in the
Province of Rimini
The province of Rimini ( it, provincia di Rimini) is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The provincial capital is the eponymous city of Rimini. The province borders the independent Republic of San Marino. As of 2019, the prov ...
to a noble and wealthy household. He was orphaned in childhood and cared for by his older brother Giacomo and he spent his childhood and adolescence growing up in his brother's home.
As the younger son of a landowner, he had no fortune, so he worked as a farmhand. He had at least one sister named Chiara.
Ronconi's sister-in-law urged him to find a woman to wed but Ronconi had decided to serve the Lord as a hermit. His sister-in-law Lansberga came to dislike him as a result of this for she wanted him to wed her little sister so as to keep her estate intact among familial relations and not amongst outsiders.
[ She first asked Giacomo to have Ronconi change his mind but to keep the peace her husband gave his brother a house with a bit of land as part of his inheritance. He lived there with his sister, working the land. It was located on the road from Rimini to Rome. Ronconi turned it into a hospice for pilgrims which further infuriated his sister-in-law. Lansberga wanted revenge and so began a slanderous rumor – knowing how close he was with his sister Chiara – that both brother and sister were engaging in incestuous relations which was proven false after an investigation.]
Feeling a call to serve God
In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
he devoted his life to catering to the needs of the poor and assisting pilgrims and in doing so gave up all his possessions which he passed on to the poor people of the area. He worked the fields in order to support the hospice and the poor. He joined the Secular Franciscan Order
The Secular Franciscan Order ( la, Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis; abbreviated OFS) is the third branch of the Franciscan Family formed by Catholic men and women who seek to observe the Gospel of Jesus by following the example of Francis of Assisi ...
"Pope Francis to Preside Mass of Canonization on Feast of Christ the King", Salt + Light Media, November 19, 2014
/ref> and adopted a life of a hermit. He later emerged from his hermitage and constructed various chapels and shelters for pilgrims; some of those places still exist at present including a hospital in Rimini.[ The hospice is now the ''Casa di Riposo Pia Beato Amato Ronconi''.][Odden, Per Einar. "Den hellige Amatus Ronconi (~1225-1292)", Den katolske kirke, June 17, 2006]
/ref>
Ronconi made a pilgrimage to Rimini to the tomb of Gaudentius of Rimini
Saint Gaudentius of Rimini (Also known as Saint Gaudentius of Ephesus; Italian: San Gaudenzio di Rimini; –October 14, 360) was born in Ephesus in Asia Minor. In 308 he migrated to Rome and was baptized. In 332 he was ordained as a priest and fou ...
, to Monte Titano
Monte Titano ("Mount Titan") is a mountain of the Apennines and the highest peak in San Marino. It stands above sea level and is located immediately to the east of the capital, San Marino. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 20 ...
to the cave of Marinus, and four times to Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
to visit the tomb of James the Apostle at Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of S ...
.[ He attempted a fifth pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela but never made it for an angel reportedly appeared to him and told him he would soon die so had to return to his home; he did so and stopped at the ]Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
convent
A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglic ...
of San Giuliano in Rimini where he gave them the remainder of his possessions on 10 January 1292.[ Ronconi died in 1292. His remains are in the church of San Biagio in his home town of Saledecio after being transferred in May 1330 after his original resting place was razed due to fire.][
]
Canonization
Pope Pius VI beatified Ronconi by the confirmation of his cult on 17 April 1776.[ In 1997, the parish of San Biagio in Saludécio and La Pia Unione del Beato Amato revived the process of canonization of Amatus. ]Pope Francis
Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...
canonized Ronconi on 23 November 2014 in Saint Peter's Square.[Rite of canonization of blesseds: Giovanni Antonio Farina, Kuriakose Elias Chavare of the holy family, Ludovico of Casoria, Nicola of Longobardi, Euphrasia Eluvathingal of the sacred heart, Amato Ronconi](_blank)
/ref>
References
External links
Santi e Beati: Amato Ronconi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ronconi, Amato
1225 births
1292 deaths
13th-century venerated Christians
13th-century Christian saints
13th-century Italian Christian monks
Beatifications by Pope Pius VI
Canonizations by Pope Francis
Franciscan saints
Italian Franciscans
Italian Roman Catholic saints
People from Rimini
Secular Franciscans