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Born on November 5th 1715, Giacomo Amoroso followed the trade of his father, a
shoemaker. As a lad he held the greatest horror of any sin at all. At his work
he distinguished himself by great modesty, docility, industry and patience.
When his parents died he applied at the Capuchin convent for admission. He was
refused. He persevered and he prayed and waited and at opportune times renewed
his plea again and again. Finally after eight years, at the age of twenty
seven, he gained admission. On October 19th 1743 at Mistretta he was invested
with the habit and the name Felix after the first saint of the Order.
Upon his profession, a year later, he was recalled to Nicosia to assist the
questing brother in his mendicant rounds. Like his Seraphic Father, Saint
Francis, Felix was very austere on himself in private but publicly his love of
God was expressed itself in charity towards his neighbour. Like Francis, also
he had a great love and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
He was endowed with the gift of healing temporal and spiritual diseases and he
delighted in tending the sick. He could also bi-locate in the same way as
Padre Pio. Called to aid the sick when a malignant epidemic was decimating
Cerami in March 1777, he responded eagerly. Airlessly and indefatigably he
went about ministering the sick, and his labours were crowned with abundant
success. "So be it for the Love of God", were the words with which he
accompanied his miracles of healing, and for the love of God he may be said to
have lived his whole life. Second only to love came obedience. He never did
anything without permission, and when he was overtaken by his last illness he
asked the guardian to give him leave to die. He passed away on May 31st, 1787,
at the age of seventy two.
For thirty three years he lived under a superior who considered it his role to
sanctify Felix by subjecting him to relentless severity and fantastic
humiliations, all of which he heroically endured.
Felix was beatified by Leo XIII, on February 12th 1888. Three years later his
remains were transferred to the Cathedral of Nicosia. He was Canonized by Pope
Benedict XVI on October 23rd, 2005.
(updated 10/27/2005 /fss)
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