[Rank]
S. Philippi Benitii Confessoris;;Duplex;;3;;vide C5

[Rule]
vide C5;mtv
9 lectiones

[Oratio]
O God, Who hast given us in thy blessed Confessor Philip a wonderful example of~
lowliness, grant unto thy servants walking in his steps to set little store by~
the pleasant things of this life, and to seek ever for that glory which Thou~
hast prepared in heaven.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio4]
This Philip was a scion of the noble Florentine family of the Benizi from his~
very cradle he showed signs of holiness. When he had scarcely entered the fifth~
month of his life, his cries marvellously assumed the form of words, entreating~
his mother to give some alms to the servants of the Mother of God. While he was a~
young man at Paris studying letters, but ever of a fervent piety, he stirred up~
in many the love of our Fatherland which is in heaven. After his return to his~
own country, the most Blessed Virgin appeared to him in a vision, and specially~
called on him to enter the Order of her Servants, which had then been newly~
founded. He withdrew himself to a cave on Monte Senario, where he led a life~
hard as touching the chastisement of the flesh, but sweet with thoughts of the~
agonies of Christ. Thence he came forth and went through nearly all Europe and~
great part of Asia, preaching the Gospel, founding Guilds everywhere in honour~
of the Seven Sorrows of the Mother of God, and extending his Order by the~
wonderful example of his own holy life.

[Lectio5]
He was forced against his own wishes to undertake the duties of General of his~
Order, and, in his love of God and of the spreading of the Catholic Faith, sent~
forth brethren to preach the Gospel of Christ in Russia. He himself went through~
many cities of Italy, stilled the raging quarrels of the inhabitants, and~
recalled many of them to their obedience to the Bishop of Rome. He left nothing~
undone to forward the salvation of his neighbour, and brought the most depraved~
wretches to leave the slough of their sins, to do penance, and to love Jesus~
Christ. He was most earnest in prayer, and was often seen to fall into trances~
while engaged in it. Virginity he so prized that to his very last breath he kept~
it unsullied by dint of self-imposed and stern penances.

[Lectio6]
Everywhere appeared in him an extraordinary pity towards the poor, whereof it is a~
famous instance that at the village of Camiliano in the territory of Sienna he~
gave his own garment to a naked leper who asked him for an alms, and as soon as~
the said leper had cast it about him he was straightway cleansed of his leprosy.~
The fame of this miracle spread far and wide, and some of the Cardinals who had~
assembled at Viterbo after the death of Clement IV., to elect a successor to him,~
cast their eyes upon Philip, with whose heavenly wisdom they were also~
acquainted. When the man of God found how things stood, lest he should be~
constrained to take upon him the burden of the Pastoral Office, he went and hid~
himself on Montagnate, until Gregory X. had been proclaimed Pope. By his prayers~
he obtained medicinal powers for the waters in these mountains, which are still~
called St. Philip's Baths. At length, (on the 22nd of August,) in the year 1285,~
he departed this life in a most holy manner at Todi, while embracing the image~
of Christ hanging upon the Cross, which he called his book. At his grave the~
blind received their sight, the lame walked, and the dead were raised. Pope~
Clement X., finding him famous for these and many other great signs and wonders,~
enrolled his name among those of the Saints.

[Lectio94]
From the noble family of the Benizi, Philip was called by the most Blessed Virgin, in an~
extraordinary vision, to enter the recently established Order of her Servants.~
First he withdrew to a cave on Monte Senario, where he led a life made hard by~
continual castigation of the body, but sweetened by meditation on the sufferings~
of Christ the Lord. Then he established sodalities of the Seven Sorrows of the~
Mother of God throughout almost all Europe and a great part of Asia. He was~
named General of his Order against his will and, burning eagerly with the ardor~
of divine love, he traveled about through many of the cities of Italy, settling~
the disputes which flared up among the citizens, calling back many men to the~
obedience of the Roman Pontiff and leading even the most abandoned men to~
repentance. Finally at Todi in the year 1285, embracing the image of Christ the~
Lord hanging on the Cross, which he used to call his 'book', he died a most holy~
death. Pope Clement X added him to the number of Saints.
&teDeum