Blessed Alexander Sauli

Alexander was only thirty-two years old when he was elected Superior General of his Order. He filled this position with a capacity that gave new luster to his Congregation; but God had not destined him to live enclosed in retirement: the island of Corsica was the theater where his eminent virtues were to shine.

This island had been anciently converted to the faith by missionaries who came from Rome. The church of Aléria appears to be one of the oldest of those that were founded there. One of its bishops, named Peter, is particularly known. He lived in the time of Saint Gregory the Great, who wrote letters to him. But this church had long been reduced to the most deplorable state: there was no longer any piety or discipline when Alexander Sauli was appoin ted its bishop in 1570 by the holy Pope Pius V.

The new bishop, having been consecrate d by Saint Charles Bor romeo, departed without delay with three priests of his Order. He embarked full of confidence in God, and the voyage was fortunate. He felt a sharp pain in seeing that God was unknown everywhere. Aléria was no more than the title of a church. Scarcely was there in the entire extent of the diocese a place where one could decently perform the divine office. The villages, with the exception of three or four, were uninhabited. The people were scattered in the woods and on the mountains. Plunged into gross ignorance, they did not know the first elements of religion. The clergy were in no less need of instruction than the people. The holy bishop, without a church, and even without a house, first fixed his residence at Tallone. It was a kind of village situated four leagues from the ruins of Aléria. He held a synod there on the model of those held in Milan under Saint Charles Borromeo, and made wise regulations there to begin to remedy the abuses; he then undertook the visitation of his entire diocese. He went into the most remote hamlets, and penetrated to places deemed inaccessible. The sight of such a charitable pastor softened the most savage: they all came to throw themselves at his feet, well resolved to obey him even before having heard him. His words carried the light of faith into minds, and the fire of charity into hearts. Everywhere he had to reform ancient abuses, abolish scandalous customs, found churches or rebuild those that were ruined, and provide for the decency of the worship of the Lord. He established colleges and seminaries where youth could be formed.

The co-workers he had brought with him having died of exhaustion before his eyes, he found himself in a very great predicament: he did not, however, lose heart; he redoubled his labors without fearing to exhaust his health. The continuity of his occupations did not prevent him either from subjecting himself to continual fasts and rigorous abstinence. Although he had very little income, he did not fail to give abundant alms. The depredations of the corsairs often forced him to change his residence. He was seen transporting his seminary and his clergy from Tallone, located on the eastern coast of the island, to Algajola which was on the western coast, and from that city to Corte, in the center of the island, th en to Ce rvione. It was in this last city that he built his cathedral and founded a chapter of canons. He had a rare talent for uniting divided minds and hearts; thus, he was given the nickname Angel of Peace throughout Corsica.

Blessed Alexander Sauli addressed wise Warnings to his clergy. In them, he proposed to instruct the ministers both on the conduct they ought to maintain and on the manner in which they should direct the souls entrusted to their care; he also composed Conversations, in which he explained the doctrine of the Church with great precision and clarity. Saint Francis de Sales singularly esteemed this work, and said that the subject matter was exhausted therein. The holy Prelate went from time to time to Rome, as did the other bishops of Italy; but he went there as to the center of the apostolate, and with such devotion that he experienced within himself what Saint Chrysostom says, that the apostolic spirit lives there always, and that from the tombs of the Apostles, and from their ashes, inanimate though they be, there still issue sparks of the sacred fire with which they set the earth ablaze. All his travels were like so many missions, by the great fruits that his preaching, his counsel, and his examples produced everywhere. This is something for which the cities of Genoa, Milan, and Rome have several times provided testimonies that were confirmed by four sovere igns. Gregory XIII, one of them, was extremely struck when he heard him preach. Saint Philip Neri also honored him greatly because of his talents and his eminent holiness. The enemies of religion themselves could not resist the strength and the unction of his discourses. Having had a conference with a Calvinist from Geneva who had come to dogmatize in Corsica, he made him open his eyes to the truth and brought him back into the bosom of the Church. In Rome, a single one of his sermons took from the synagogue of the Jews four of its firmest supporters.

The veneration in which the holy Apostle of Corsica was held led the cities of Tortona and Genoa to request him as their pastor; but he would not leave his first spouse, to whom he was tenderly attached. It was only through obedience to the orders of Pope Gre gory XIV tha t he accepted the bishopric of Pa via in 1591. No sooner had he arrived in his new diocese than he undertook to visit it. On all solemn feast days, he would return to Pavia. While at Calozzo, in t he coun ty of Asti, he was struck by the illness that took him from this world. He died on October 11, 1592. His holiness was attested by several miracles. He was beatified on April 23, 1741, by Benedict XIV.

He is represented: 1° Supporting a large cross. This recalls that while still a novice, he went out into the street s of Milan carrying a heavy cross, at the risk of being taken for a madman. By this, he wished to signify to all those who had known him that he was resolutely renouncing the world; 2° extending his hand toward one or more ships that appear to be sinking into the waves. It is said that twenty Barbary galleys were approaching Corsica to plunder it. Terror was everywhere. A horse had already been offered to the holy bishop so that he might flee. He, without being intimidated, went to pray for a moment in a chapel, then returned to the beach and urged everyone to have confidence in God. Indeed, a squall arose that caused all the ships to perish.

See his Life, written in Latin by Gubotio, and the excellent notes by Brenda on this work: the abridgment of the same Life in French; Paris, 1742, in-12, and the panegyric delivered in honor of the blessed Alexandre Sauli, by M. l'abbé Clément, in 1743.