Saint John of Kanty

But the care of souls, which has made all the Saints tremble, seemed to John a burden too heavy for his shoulders: he left his parish after a few years, and, at the request of the university, he came to resume his position as a professor. He nonetheless continued to dedicate himself in all things to the salvation of souls; he worked toward this above all through preaching and prayer, in which he received extraordinary favors. He spent part of his nights meditating on the Passion of Our Lord, and it was this devotion to that mystery that led him to undertake the journey to Jerusale m. During his journey, he did not fear to preach Jesus crucified to the Turks, hoping thereby to receive the crown of martyrdom for which he ardently sighed. He also made the journey to Rome four times to v isit the tombs of the holy Apostles, to give the Holy See publ ic marks of his respect, and to try, as he said, to preserve himself from the pains of purgatory. He always went on foot, carrying his own luggage. During one of these pilgrimages, he was met by thieves who took everything he had and asked him if he had anything else: he answered them that he did not; but, having noticed afterward that he still had a few gold coins sewn into his cloak, in order to flee even the shadow of a lie and to practice the absolute detachment so recommended by Our Lord, he ran after them, called them, and gave them his gold. The thieves, astonished by such conduct, refused to accept it and even returned everything they had taken from him, so much power does candor and the love of truth have over the hardest of souls.

Penetrated with respect for the precept of the Gospel, which commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves, the holy Priest observed it with the greatest exactitude. Following the exam ple of Saint A ugustine, he had inscribed on the walls of his dwelling verses that showed his horror for detraction. As severe with himself as he was indulgent toward others, he habitually wore a hair shirt, fasted often, and frequently practiced discipline. During the last thirty years of his life, he entirely forbade himself the use of meat. He gave very little time to sleep and ate only as much as was necessary to avoid dying of hunger. He remained in prayer for entire nights before a crucifix and would often fall into long ecstasies. He never failed to go each day, upon leaving his class, to the church before the Blessed Sacrament and to remain there for a considerable time. Living only for God, he had Him continually in his heart and on his lips. In order to maintain this sacred fire within him, he associated with several virtuous men: their conversation had as its only object spiritual things, and he applied himself to imitate what he noticed that was most perfect in each of these holy friends. Finally, when he saw himself near to appearing before the supreme tribunal, he prepared for it by redoubling his fervor in the service of this formidable Judge. His love for the poor led him to give them everything that was in his house. He died the death of the Saints, on December 24, 1473, at the age of seventy-six.

Several miracles having illustrated his tomb, it was opened one hundred and thirty years after his death, and a sweet and pleasant odor exhaled from it. The purple robe he had worn as a doctor was religiously preserved, and the dean of the school of philosophy was clothed in it on the day of his installation, while being made to swear to imitate the virtues of the Saint whose garment he wore. The memo ry of Saint John of Kenty is held in great veneration throughout Poland and Lithuania, of which he is one of the principal patrons. Cle ment XIII canonized him in 1767.

Saint John of Kenty is represented stripping himself of his clothes to dress the poor during the harsh winters of Poland.

Cf. Acta S anctorum and t he continuators of Godescard.