Jeremiah of Wallachia

Admitted as a lay brother among the Capuchins, he received the habit in May 1578 at Sessa Aurunca under the name Brother Jeremiah, and pronounced his vows on May 8, 1579. After various modest services, he was assigned in 1585 to the infirmary of the convent of Sant'Eframo Nuovo in Naples. For forty years, he dedicated himself entirely to the sick, lepers, and the marginalized, notably caring for Brother Martino for four years. He also begged throughout Naples to feed and clothe the poor.

In February 1625, he contracted severe pleuropneumonia during a trip to Torre del Greco to visit a sick person. He passed away in Naples on March 5, 1625. His death sparked immense popular fervor, forcing the friars to bury him secretly. The informative process opened as early as September 1625, but the cause was suspended for three centuries. His remains were rediscovered in 1947 at Sant'Eframo Nuovo, transferred temporarily to Rome, and then brought back to Naples in 1961.

Pope John XXIII declared him Venerable on December 18, 1959. On October 30, 1983, Pope John Paul II proclaimed him Blessed, making him the first Romanian to be raised to the altars. This beatification followed the recognition of a miraculous healing. In May 2008, his relics were solemnly transferred from Naples to the sanctuary of Onești in Romania.

His spirituality is based on Franciscan humility and joyful service. He held a filial devotion to the Virgin Mary, whom he called 'Mammarella', and was blessed with a mystical vision of her in 1608. Pope John Paul II presented him as a spiritual bridge between the East and the West, connecting his native Romania to Italy. Today, he is a model of Christian unity, venerated by both Catholics and Orthodox.