Saint Gabriel Possenti of Our Lady of Sorrows was born on March 1, 1838, and he died on February 27, 1862. Saint Gabriel Possenti was an Italian priest and cleric. His life in the monastery was not that extraordinary, yet Saint Gabriel Possenti followed the rules perfectly and was known for his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
He died from tuberculosis at only twenty-three years old in the province of Teramo, Italy. It is the case that many saints had severe health struggles, and he was no exception. Saint Gabriel Possenti’s great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary led to his canonization by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. Had you heard of him?
Saint Gabriel Possenti Biography
Saint Gabriel Possenti was born on 1 March 1838, in Assisi (the famous town), Italy, the eleventh of thirteen children. Possenti was baptised on the day of his birth in the same font in which Francis of Assisi had been baptised. As a child and young man, Saint Gabriel Possenti was well-liked by his peers and had a reputation for great charity and piety, probably not surprising for a saint.
Saint Gabriel Possenti was also known for the excellent care he took concerning his appearance and would spend hours preparing himself for parties. People thought of him as vain. Possenti could be a difficult child and was liable to bouts of anger. However, he was deeply involved in the social scene of Spoleto and soon earned himself the nickname “the dancer.”
Saint Gabriel’s Many Romantic Involvements
Saint Gabriel Possenti was, oddly, a ladies’ man and had several romantic involvements. On the night he left for the Passionists, there were still hopes that he might become engaged to a local girl, Maria Panachetti, who was in love with him and who had been on several dates with him (this same girl later attended Gabriel’s beatification and canonisation). Saint Gabriel Possenti was educated first by the Christian Brothers and then by the Jesuits in the town’s college, and there excelled, particularly in Latin. In 1851,
Possenti became ill and promised to enter religious life if he recovered. He did not join when he recovered. The same thing happened when he narrowly escaped a stray bullet during a hunting expedition with friends. His brother Paul had died in 1848, and his brother Lawrence died by suicide in 1853. In 1853, Francesco got sick again, this time with a throat abscess.
He attributed his healing to someone who was recently beautified. Once more, he had promised to enter religious life upon his recovery, and this time, he kept his promise. He applied to join the Jesuits, but that did not work out. His sister, Mary Louisa, who had cared for Possenti after their mother’s death, died of cholera.
Post-Cholera Epidemic Impact
After the cholera epidemic that killed Possenti’s sister ended, Spoleto Priests and the civic authorities there organised a procession of the ancient icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Spoleto’s cathedral. Possenti attended, and as the image passed by him, he felt a voice asking why he remained in the world. This event was the galvanising force behind the first serious steps in Possenti’s religious vocation.
After the procession, he resolved to enter the Passionist Congregation. As there was no Passionist house near Spoleto, it is most likely that Possenti’s choice was based on his devotion to the Passion of Christ. His father refused to permit him to leave for the Passionists and enlisted several relatives to dissuade Possenti from his course. Their attempts were unsuccessful, and soon his father was convinced that Possenti’s intentions were sincere and not capricious.
Possenti died on February 27, 1862, and was buried on the day of his death. Pope Pius X beatified Saint Gabriel Possenti on May 31, 1908. His brother Michael, his companion Sylvester, and his director, Norbert, were present at the beatification. The First World War delayed his canonisation for a while, but on May 13. 1920
Conclusion: Summing Things Up
Saint Gabriel Possenti is a saint few Americans have heard of. Nevertheless, it is the case that obscure saints are likely to be the most effective to pray to, because few do. This article serves as an education for you. In his short life, he did have some great quotations. Interestingly, someone so short-lived could leave behind a legacy, but he did. The fact that he speaks of how devoted and pious he was.
