[Rank]
S. Joannis de Matha Confessoris;;Duplex;;3;;vide C5

[Rule]
vide C5;mtv
9 lectiones

[Oratio]
O God, Who by a sign from heaven didst choose thy holy servant John to be the~
founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Ransom of Prisoners held~
in the power of the Saracens, mercifully grant unto us for his sake that we may~
be delivered by thine Almighty power from all bonds and chains of sin, whether in~
our bodies or in our souls.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio4]
John de la Mata, the founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the~
Ransom of Prisoners, was born at Faucon, in Provence, (upon Midsummer's Day, in~
the year 1169,) and was the child of parents equally distinguished for their~
rank and their godly life. He went for his education first to Aix and then to~
Paris. At the University of Paris, where he went through the course of Divinity~
and took the degree of Doctor, he became eminent for learning and virtue. For~
this reason the Bishop of Paris ordained him Priest, an honour from which his~
lowliness caused him to shrink, in the hope that he should induce him to remain~
at Paris, and be a bright example of wisdom and manners to the students who~
resorted thither. He offered up the Holy Sacrifice to God for the first time in~
the private Chapel of the Bishop, and in the presence of that Prelate and diverse~
other persons. In the midst of the ceremony, a vision from God appeared to John.~
There appeared to him an angel, clad in raiment white and glistering; having~
sewn on his breast a cross of red and blue. His arms were crossed before him,~
and his hands were upon the heads of two slaves, one a Christian and the other a~
Moor. And immediately the man of God was in the spirit, and knew that he was~
called to the work of ransoming bondsmen from the power of the unbelievers.

[Lectio5]
That he might set himself with due forethought to the carrying out of his work,~
he withdrew into a certain desert, and there, by the will of God, he found Felix~
de Valois, who had already spent many years in that place. With him he joined~
company, and they passed three years together in continual prayer, meditation,~
and all spiritual exercises. It came to pass, one day, when they were sitting on~
the bank of a spring, that there came to them a stag having between his horns a~
cross of red and blue. Felix cried out in wonder at that sight, and John then~
told him of the vision that had appeared to him when he was saying his first~
Mass. Thenceforth they gave themselves with redoubled fervour to prayer, and,~
being three times warned in sleep, they determined to go to Rome, and pray the~
Pope to institute an Order for the ransom of prisoners. They arrived at the time~
of the election of Innocent III., who received them courteously, and entertained~
in his mind their petition. While he was in consideration, he went to the~
Lateran Cathedral, on the second Feast of St. Agnes, and there, while Mass was~
being solemnly sung, at the moment of the elevation of the Sacred Host, there~
appeared to him an angel, clad in raiment white and glistering, having sewn on~
his breast a cross of red and blue, and making as though he would free~
prisoners. Thereupon the Pope founded the Order, commanding that it should be~
called the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Ransom of prisoners, and that~
they who professed in it should be clad in white raiment, having sewn on their~
breasts a cross of red and blue.

[Lectio6]
The Order being thus established, the holy Founders returned into France, and~
built their first Convent at Cerfroid, in the diocese of Meaux. Felix remained~
in charge of this house, and John went back to Rome with several companions. To~
them Innocent gave the house, Church, and hospital of St. Thomas de Formis on the~
Coelian Mount, with great endowments and property. Moreover he gave them a~
letter of introduction to Miramolin, King of Morocco, and they began with bright~
hopes the work of ransoming prisoners. John next betook himself to Spain, great~
part of which was then in the hands of the Saracens, and stirred up the hearts~
of the kings, princes, and all the faithful to have pity on slaves and the poor.~
He built Convents, founded Hospitals, and ransomed many bondsmen, to the great~
gain of souls. At last he returned to Rome, still busied in good works, but worn~
out by unceasing toil, and weakened by sickness. As he drew near the end of his~
earthly pilgrimage, his burning love for God and for his neighbour suffered no~
diminution. He called together his brethren, and earnestly exhorted them to go~
on with that work of ransom which had been pointed out to them from heaven, and~
then fell asleep in the Lord, on the 21st day of December, 1213. His body was~
buried with due honour in the Church of St. Thomas de Formis.

[Lectio94]
John of Matha was born at Faucon in Provence of devout and noble parents. When he was celebrating his first Mass, he understood from a vision that he was to devote himself to ransoming those taken captives by the infidels. Because of this sign from God, he retired into the wilderness, where he found Felix of Valois, who had been living in that same place for many years. Here they both devoted themselves most fervently to prayer. After being advised three times in dreams, they went to Rome and obtained the approbation of Pope Innocent III for the new Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Ransoming of Captives. They then built their first monastery in the diocese of Meaux, and Felix remained there as superior. But John returned to Rome with some companions, where Innocent gave them the house, church, and hospital of St. Thomas in Formis on the Coelian Hill. He also gave them letters to present to Miramolin, King of Morocco, and thus the work of ransoming captives was auspiciously begun. Then John went to Spain, a great part of which was oppressed under the Saracen yoke. Having moved the hearts of all to pity the captives, he built hospitals and ransomed many prisoners. At length, he returned to Rome; there, broken in health by his toils and by illness, he died in the Lord on the 21st day of December, in the year 1213.
&teDeum