St. Peter Celestine, Pope

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 20, 14 May 1903, Page 31

St. Peter Celestine, Pope

St. Peter Celestine was a native of southern Italy, and was born of virtuous parents, who made every sacrihce to advance his education. Considering the salvation of his soul to be the primary object of his attention, he tetned at the age of 20 to a solitary mountain, where lie hallowed a small ciuo l!ere he led the life of a hermit, practising great austerities and spending his time in ptaver and contemplation. Forced by obedience to piesent himsell for ITolv Orders, Peter was ordained at Rome, but soon tetumed to hi^ former way of life. The fame of the sanctity of the holy hermit 'attracted to him numerous disciples who lived in scattered cells on the mountain side At length he gathered them, toiM'thir in a monastery, m which the i ule of St Benedict was observed in its primitive seventy. This new reform received the approbation of the Pope, and spread tlnoughoit the countiy After 5O years spent in the eremitical and monastic life, Peter, toward the end of his days, saw himself called by the unanimous vote of the Caidinals to take upon his shoulders the Government of the I'imersal Church The news of his election ■ I'll upon him like a thunderbolt, and finding remonstrances unavailing he took to flitrht in company with one of Ins monks He was intercepted, and, being hi ought back, found himself obliged to submit to the bin den. At his consecVat ion he took the name of Celestine V , but he did not long retain the unwelcome dignity, for, , ( fter tour months' reign, he summoned a council of the Cardinals and i cad betore them a formal act ot abdication On Whit Sunday, 1296. after hearing Mass with extraordinaiy fervor, he announced that he should die before the end of the week Immediately alter wards he s- ckened of a fever, and received the Holy Sacraments On Saturday, May 19, as he uttered the last woids of the Psalms for Bauds. ' Let every spirit prase the Loid,' he calmly expiied at rthe age of 75.