Luca Antonio Falcone

Saint

Luca Antonio Falcone

O.F.M. Cap.
1754 image.
Priest
Born(1669-10-19)19 October 1669
Acri, Cosenza, Calabria
Died30 October 1739(1739-10-30) (aged 70)
Acri, Cosenza, Calabria
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church
Beatified18 December 1825, Saint Peter's Basilica, Papal States by Pope Leo XII
Canonized15 October 2017, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Francis
Feast30 October
Attributes
Patronage

Luca Antonio Falcone (19 October 1669 – 30 October 1739) – in religious life Angelo – was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and a professed member of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in Cosenza.[1] Falcone had a rough call to religious life after several entries and exits into the order and he later served as a noted preacher across southern Italian cities such as Catanzaro and Salerno after his first few sermons attracted little following.[2] He became titled as both the "Angel of Peace" and the "Apostle of the South".[3]

Falcone became known for ecstasies during the celebration of Mass and was known for converting the hearts of thousands when he went about preaching. The friar possessed the gifts of visions and bilocation and was invited to start preaching in the Neapolitan region at the behest of Cardinal Francesco Pignatelli.[4][5]

He received beatification from Pope Leo XII on 18 December 1825 after being titled as a Servant of God in 1778 under Pope Pius VI and Venerable under Pope Pius VII on 17 June 1821. He is a patron of Acri and of missionaries.[6] Pope Francis approved his canonization and it was determined at a gathering of cardinals on 20 April 2017 that Falcone would be named as a saint; the canonization was celebrated in Saint Peter's Square on 15 October 2017.

  1. ^ "Blessed Angelus of Acri". Saints SQPN. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Blessed Angelo d'Acri". Santi e Beati. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Angelo d'Acri". Find a Grave. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Blessed Angelo of Acri". Roman Catholic Saints. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Blessed Angelo of Acri – October 30". Tradition in Action. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Bl. Angelus of Acri". Catholic Online. Retrieved 5 August 2016.