Miquel Costa i Llobera

Miquel Costa i Llobera is considered one of the most eminent figures of Catalan-language poetry, particularly of the "Majorcan School" (Escola Mallorquina). His poetic work, characterized by great formal rigor, classical harmony, and a deep Christian sensibility, seeks to unite the Greco-Latin classical spirit and romantic sentiment.

Among his major works: * El pi de Formentor (The Pine of Formentor), written in 1875 and published in his collection Poesies (1885), is his most famous poem. Through the figure of a majestic pine tree struggling against the elements on the cliffs of Majorca, he provides a metaphor for the spiritual struggle and the resilience of the Christian soul in the face of trials. * Líricas (1899), his only collection written in the Spanish language. * Tradicions i fantasies (1903), a collection of Majorcan narrative legends. * Horacianes (1906), his classical masterpiece, inspired by the Latin poet Horace, where he brilliantly adapts ancient meters to Catalan poetry. * Visions de Palestina (1908), a collection of odes in prose inspired by his pilgrimage to the Holy Land undertaken in 1907 in the company of other Majorcans, including the poetess Maria Antònia Salvà.

On the pastoral and ecclesial level, he published spiritual writings such as two exercises of the Via Crucis (1907-1908) and his Sermons panegírics (1916). He also collaborated closely with the Bishop of Majorca, Mgr. Pere Campins, and the architect Antoni Gaudí for the restoration and liturgical renovation of the Cathedral of Palma (1903-1914). A polyglot and scholar, he translated into Catalan and Spanish works by Virgil, Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, Victor Hugo, as well as the hymns of the Christian poet Prudentius. He was appointed a corresponding member of the Institut d'Estudis Catalans (IEC) in 1919.

The reputation for holiness of Miquel Costa i Llobera rests on his exemplary piety, his life of intense prayer, his humility, and his pastoral zeal as a preacher and confessor. Although he came from a wealthy family, he lived with great simplicity, placing his literary talents and his resources at the service of the Church and the poor.

The diocesan process for his beatification was officially opened in the Diocese of Mallorca on October 15, 1982. The diocesan inquiries into his life, virtues, and reputation for holiness were successfully completed, and the documents were subsequently transmitted to Rome, to the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Causes of Saints, for the examination of the Positio.

On January 19, 2023, Pope Francis authorized Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, to promulgate the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Miquel Costa i Llobera, thereby conferring upon him the title of Venerable.

The decree of the Holy See highlights his profile as a canon of the Cathedral of Mallorca, a man of prayer, a passionate preacher, and an inspired poet. For his beatification to be pronounced, a miracle attributed to his intercession must be formally recognized by the Vatican following a rigorous scientific and theological investigation.

The spirituality of Miquel Costa i Llobera is deeply marked by the contemplation of Creation. He saw in the beauty of the Mediterranean nature and the landscapes of his native island a theophany, a reflection of the beauty and greatness of God. This aesthetic contemplation was accompanied by a solid interior life, centered on the Eucharist, Marian devotion (notably at the sanctuary of Lluc), and the love of the Scriptures.

His legacy is both spiritual and cultural. In Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, he is honored as a model of a learned priest who knew how to evangelize the culture of his time. Numerous schools bear his name in Barcelona, Palma, Pollença, and Marratxí. In Barcelona, the famous botanical gardens of Montjuïc, specializing in cacti and succulents, were named in his honor "Jardins Mossèn Costa i Llobera". In 2022, the centenary of his death gave rise to numerous ecclesial and cultural celebrations under the name of "Any Costa i Llobera" (Costa i Llobera Year).