James Salomoni
Encyclopedia
Blessed James Salomoni was an Italian Dominican
priest, ascetic, and mystic
who is venerated as a beatus
by the Catholic Church.
Born in Venice
into a noble family, Salomoni was brought up by his mother after his father died. His mother later became a Cistercian nun
and he was then raised by his grandmother. He became a Dominican monk at the age of seventeen, and became prior of various places, including Forlì
, Faenza
, San Severino
, and Ravenna
. But Forlì was finally where he settled for the rest of his life.
He gained fame for healing paralytics and for his prophetic
abilities, obtained through a state of religious ecstasy. He lived for 45 years at a convent in Forlì, which considers him a patron
and was called there the “father of the poor” (padre dei poveri). He also earned fame for being the person who received the confession of Carino of Balsamo
, the murderer of Peter of Verona
, and became his spiritual father.
Salomoni suffered from cancer
for four years, but he was cured some time before his death. He died in Forlì in 1314.
approved his cult for the Dominicans in 1622. Salomoni’s remains were conserved in a funereal urn
at Forlì, but in 1939, his relics were translated
to Venice, in the basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, to the Chapel of Blessed James Salomoni.
A shrine was built to Salomoni at Saint Catherine of Siena Church (which is run by the Dominican Order) in Manhattan
.
The oldest indult which Benedict XIV quotes in this connection is that granted by Clement VII to the Dominicans of the Convent of Forlì
, 25 January 1526, to celebrate the Mass of Blessed James Salomoni "as often during the year as their devotion may move them to do so" (Benedict XIV, De canonizatione de SS.)http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/ceblesse.htm.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
priest, ascetic, and mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
who is venerated as a beatus
Beatus
Beatus, meaning blessed in Medieval Latin, may mean:*a term in the Catholic Church for a person who has been beatified, the stage before being declared a saint.* A copy of the Commentary on the Apocalypse, Beatus, meaning blessed in Medieval Latin, may mean:*a term in the Catholic Church for a...
by the Catholic Church.
Born in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
into a noble family, Salomoni was brought up by his mother after his father died. His mother later became a Cistercian nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and he was then raised by his grandmother. He became a Dominican monk at the age of seventeen, and became prior of various places, including Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
, Faenza
Faenza
Faenza is an Italian city and comune, in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna.Faenza is noted for its manufacture of majolica ware glazed earthenware pottery, known from the name of the town as "faience"....
, San Severino
San Severino
-Places in Italy:*Mercato San Severino, a commune of the Province of Salerno*San Severino Lucano, a commune of the Province of Potenza*San Severino Marche, a commune in the Province of Macerata*San Severino, an hamlet of Centola in the Province of Salerno...
, and Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
. But Forlì was finally where he settled for the rest of his life.
He gained fame for healing paralytics and for his prophetic
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
abilities, obtained through a state of religious ecstasy. He lived for 45 years at a convent in Forlì, which considers him a patron
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
and was called there the “father of the poor” (padre dei poveri). He also earned fame for being the person who received the confession of Carino of Balsamo
Carino of Balsamo
Blessed Carino Pietro of Balsamo , sometimes called St. Acerinus, was the murderer of Saint Peter of Verona who later repented his actions and became a Dominican lay brother...
, the murderer of Peter of Verona
Peter of Verona
Saint Peter of Verona O.P. , also known as Saint Peter Martyr, was a 13th century Italian Catholic priest. He was a Dominican friar and a celebrated preacher...
, and became his spiritual father.
Salomoni suffered from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
for four years, but he was cured some time before his death. He died in Forlì in 1314.
Veneration
In 1315, a brotherhood was founded to promote veneration for Salomoni. In 1526, his cult was approved for Forlì, and around 1568 for Venice; Pope Gregory XVPope Gregory XV
Pope Gregory XV , born Alessandro Ludovisi, was pope from 1621, succeeding Paul V on 9 February 1621...
approved his cult for the Dominicans in 1622. Salomoni’s remains were conserved in a funereal urn
Urn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
at Forlì, but in 1939, his relics were translated
Translation (relics)
In Christianity, the translation of relics is the removal of holy objects from one locality to another ; usually only the movement of the remains of the saint's body would be treated so formally, with secondary relics such as items of clothing treated with less ceremony...
to Venice, in the basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, to the Chapel of Blessed James Salomoni.
A shrine was built to Salomoni at Saint Catherine of Siena Church (which is run by the Dominican Order) in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
The oldest indult which Benedict XIV quotes in this connection is that granted by Clement VII to the Dominicans of the Convent of Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
, 25 January 1526, to celebrate the Mass of Blessed James Salomoni "as often during the year as their devotion may move them to do so" (Benedict XIV, De canonizatione de SS.)http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/ceblesse.htm.