Saint Francis Solano
Stored in Cargo: Saint Francis Solano
| Saint Francis Solano | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | July 14 |
| Profession | pharmacist's assistant |
| Rel. Affiliation | Order of Friars Minor |
| Patronage | Arica, Peru; Loja, Ecuador; Montilla, Spain; Peru; South American indigenous peoples |
| Attributes | violin; cross; taming wild animals; angel |
| Birthplace | Montilla, Córdoba, Spain |
| Death Place | Lima, Peru |
| Cause of Death | natural causes |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, Lima, Peru |
| Liturgical Class | Not included |
Saint Francis Solano, OFM (1549–1610), known as the "Apostle of Peru" and the "Wonder Worker of the New World," was a Spanish Franciscan missionary whose life of penance, preaching, and miracles among the indigenous peoples of South America led to his canonization.[1] Born in Montilla, Córdoba, Spain, he entered the Order of Friars Minor and served briefly as a missionary in North Africa before dedicating over two decades to evangelization in the Viceroyalty of Peru, where his humility, musical talents—particularly playing the violin to draw crowds—and reputed supernatural gifts converted thousands.
Hagiographic accounts describe Solano's extraordinary apostolic zeal, including preaching in indigenous languages after miraculously learning them, taming ferocious beasts, and prophesying calamities such as earthquakes.[2] According to tradition, he foretold the 1610 earthquake in Lima and died peacefully shortly before it struck. Beatified in 1675 by Pope Clement X and canonized on March 12, 1726, by Pope Benedict XIII, his feast day is July 14, and his relics rest in the Basilica of San Francisco in Lima, Peru.[3]
Biography
Birth
Francis Solano was born on March 10, 1549, in Montilla, a town in the province of Córdoba, Spain, to Matthew Sanchez Solano, a prosperous merchant and notary, and Anna Ximenes de Solano.[4] He was baptized the same day in the local parish church, as was customary.
According to family records preserved in Montilla, Francis showed early signs of piety, often praying in the family chapel and assisting at Mass.[5] His birthplace, now marked by a commemorative plaque, reflects the devout Catholic environment of 16th-century Andalusia.
Hagiographic tradition holds that as an infant, he miraculously survived a fall, an event attributed to divine protection, though this cannot be confirmed through primary historical sources beyond later accounts.[6]
Early Life
Solano received his early education in Montilla, studying grammar and humanities under local tutors.[7] By age 12, he apprenticed as a pharmacist's assistant, gaining knowledge of herbal remedies that later aided his missionary work.
His family upbringing emphasized Franciscan spirituality, influenced by the nearby friary. Solano frequented the Church of Santiago in Montilla, where he developed a devotion to penance and the sacraments.[6]
Probabilistic inferences from contemporary biographies suggest he experienced a profound conversion around age 20, leading him to embrace stricter asceticism, including frequent fasting and self-flagellation, practices common among aspiring religious in the Counter-Reformation era.[8]
Occupation
Prior to entering religious life, Solano worked as a pharmacist's assistant in Montilla, compounding medicines and serving the poor gratis.[6] This profession honed his skills in healing, which he later applied in missions.
He also assisted his father in notarial duties, drafting legal documents. Evidence from local archives indicates he was known for his charity, often giving away family resources to beggars.[9]
Hagiographic accounts describe miraculous healings during this period, such as curing a blind man with blessed herbs, though these originate from post-mortem vitae and cannot be historically verified.[6]
Vocation
In 1569, at age 20, Solano entered the Franciscan friary of San Juan Bautista de Arrizafa, near Montilla, taking the habit of the Order of Friars Minor.[10] He made his solemn profession on September 2, 1570.
Solano studied philosophy and theology in Sevilla, receiving minor orders there. He was ordained a priest on May 22, 1576, in Sevilla Cathedral, beginning his ministry as a preacher and confessor.[6] In 1589, he volunteered for the missions, first briefly to Tunis, North Africa, where he redeemed captives before illness forced his return.
Arriving in Peru in 1591 via Lima, he evangelized in Trujillo, Tucuman (modern Argentina/Paraguay), and other regions, learning Quechua and Aymara languages reportedly through miracle.[11]
Death
Saint Francis Solano returned to Lima in 1601, serving at the Convent of San Francisco until his death.[6] Weakened by lifelong austerities, he predicted an impending earthquake and continued hearing confessions until the end.
He met his end peacefully in old age on July 14, 1610, surrounded by friars, after receiving the sacraments. His body was buried in the convent church, where it remains incorrupt according to tradition.[12]
An earthquake struck Lima nine days later, as he had foretold, reinforcing hagiographic narratives of his prophetic gifts, though seismic records confirm the event independently.[6]
Significant events
- Entered the Franciscans at Arrizafa friary in 1569.
- Ordained priest in Sevilla Cathedral in 1576.
- Missionary expedition to Tunis, North Africa, 1589.
- Arrived in Peru, beginning evangelization in Lima and Trujillo, 1591.
- Extensive missions in Tucuman region (Argentina/Paraguay), converting thousands, 1605–1609.
- Predicted Lima earthquake before his death in 1610.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Montilla, Córdoba, Spain
Death location: Lima, Peru
Notable location: Site of priestly ordination (Plaza Virgen de los Reyes, s/n, 41004 Sevilla, Spain)
Notable location: Missionary work among indigenous peoples (Calle Pizarro 470, Trujillo 13001, La Libertad, Peru)
Notable location: Site associated with his missions in the region (Calle San Martín 355, Tarija, Bolivia)
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Francis Solano have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| July 17 Saint Francis Solano | Under 5 minutes | Breski1 |
| The Life of Saint Francis Solano | 5–15 minutes | Daily Lives of Franciscan Saints |
| Jul 14 - St. Francis Solano - Franciscan Saint of the Day | 5–15 minutes | Franciscan Media |
| The Life of Saint Francis Solano | 5–15 minutes | Radio Immaculata |
| Saint Francis Solano, Missionary - July 24th | Under 5 minutes | Saint of the Day |
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
List of shrines
Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, Lima, Peru
This 16th-century basilica, designated a shrine by the Archdiocese of Lima, houses Solano's incorrupt relics and serves as Peru's primary pilgrimage site for his intercession. Pilgrims seek healings and conversions, with annual feasts on July 14 featuring processions and indulgences. Fact: Solano died here in 1610, and his tomb draws over 100,000 visitors yearly.[13]
Basilica of San Francisco Solano, Tarija, Bolivia
Erected in the 17th century and designated a minor basilica/shrine by the Diocese of Tarija in 1925, it honors Solano's missions in the Chaco region. Known for novenas and youth pilgrimages, it offers plenary indulgences. Fact: Relics from Lima were translated here, linked to local miracles.[14]
Iglesia de San Francisco Solano, Montilla, Spain
This parish church, elevated to shrine status by the Diocese of Córdoba for Solano's birthplace devotion, hosts relic veneration and annual fiestas. Pilgrims participate in sacraments tied to his early life. Fact: His baptismal font remains, commemorating his 1549 birth.[15]
Shrine of San Francisco Solano, Trujillo, Peru
Designated by the Diocese of Trujillo, this site marks his evangelization among coastal indigenous groups, with a chapel for ongoing missions. Features include violin replicas and mission reenactments on feast days. Fact: Solano preached here in the 1590s, converting Huamán chief.[16]
Basilica Menor de San Francisco Solano, Loja, Ecuador
Proclaimed a minor basilica and shrine by the Diocese of Loja in 1960, Solano is patron; it draws pilgrims for family devotions and healings. Annual triduum with indigenous dances. Fact: Declared patron protector in 1696.[17]
Santuario de San Francisco Solano, Arica, Chile
Diocesan shrine in the Diocese of San Marcos de Arica, focused on maritime and indigenous patronage, with relics and earthquake prayers. Feast includes coastal processions. Fact: Patron since 1697 by papal decree.[18]
Iglesia de San Francisco Solano, Salta, Argentina
Shrine status granted by Archdiocese of Salta for Tucuman missions; hosts relic expositions and youth retreats. Plenary indulgences available. Fact: Site near his preaching grounds.[19]
Canonization
Servant of God
The cause for Francis Solano began informally after his death in 1610, with diocesan inquiries in Lima documenting virtues and miracles by 1626.[6]
Venerable
No formal "Venerable" declaration in the pre-18th-century process; heroic virtues affirmed through apostolic investigations.[20]
Beatification
Beatified on May 9, 1675, by Pope Clement X after authentication of miracles, including healings in Lima. This permitted limited veneration in Peru and Franciscan order.[6]
Canonization
Canonized on March 12, 1726, by Pope Benedict XIII following further miracles, extending veneration universally. No specific second miracle detailed in modern records, per historical process.[21]
Miracles
- Taming a lion and other wild animals to preach.
- Instant learning of indigenous languages.
- Prophesying the 1610 Lima earthquake.
No miracles have been authenticated under post-1983 norms, as canonization predates them.
Miracle for beatification
Hagiographic accounts credit healings, such as a terminally ill woman's recovery in Lima post-1610, investigated by Lima tribunal. Witnesses testified to her invoking Solano, with medical inexplicability affirmed. This, among others like a paralyzed man's cure, supported beatification.[6]
Tradition holds these as first-class miracles, involving sudden, complete recoveries defying natural means, per 17th-century standards.[22]
Miracle for canonization
A child drowned in Peru's Huánuco River revived after Solano's intercession, as documented in Roman processes. The boy's mother carried his habit-soaked image during prayer, leading to instantaneous life return, verified by eyewitnesses and physicians.[6]
This event, circa 1620s, exemplified resurrection miracles attributed to him, bolstering universal sainthood declaration.[23]
Other notable miracles
- Multiplication of food for famine-stricken missions.
- Bilocation to aid shipwrecked sailors.
- Healing of incurables with blessed violin music.
Patronage
Saint Francis Solano is the patron saint of Arica, Peru; Loja, Ecuador; Montilla, Spain; the indigenous peoples of South America; and Peru.
Feast day
July 14
Veneration
Saint Francis Solano is venerated through novenas, processions with his violin statue, and pilgrimages to Lima's basilica. Relics are kept in the Basilica of San Francisco, Lima, and Tarija, Bolivia.
He has been depicted in numerous artworks, including murals by Peruvian masters and statues in Franciscan churches. Literature portrays him in hagiographies like Butler's Lives. Relics and shrines influence cultural festivals in Andean regions.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.
Books
Written about the saint
Written by the saint
- (None known; Solano left no major writings beyond letters.)
External links
- Saint Francis Solano at Catholic Saints Info
- St. Francis Solanus at Catholic Online
- San Francisco Solano (Franciscan site)
- St. Francis Solanus (Catholic Encyclopedia)
References
- ↑ "St. Francis Solanus". Catholic Online. https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=6863.
- ↑ Butler, Alban (1956). Butler's Lives of the Saints. Volume 3: July. P.J. Kennedy & Sons. pp. 99–103. ISBN 978-0867163924 Parameter error in {{ISBN}}: Invalid ISBN..
- ↑ "Vatican Archives on Canonizations". https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html.
- ↑ "Saint Francis Solano of Montilla". Catholic Saints Info. https://catholicsaints.info/saint-francis-solano-of-montilla/.
- ↑ Holweck, F.G. (1924). A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints. B. Herder Book Co.. pp. 404–405.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 Butler, Alban. Butler's Lives of the Saints, Volume 3, p. 100.
- ↑ "San Francisco Solano" (in es). Franciscanos. https://www.franciscanos.org.ve/santos/sanfranciscolosolano.htm.
- ↑ Attwater, Donald (1993). A New Dictionary of Saints. Oxford University Press. pp. 147–148. ISBN 978-0192800187 Parameter error in {{ISBN}}: Invalid ISBN..
- ↑ "San Francisco Solano" (in es). Ayuntamiento de Montilla. https://www.montilla.es/turismo/san-francisco-solano.
- ↑ "St. Francis Solanus". Catholic Encyclopedia. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06215b.htm.
- ↑ Farmer, David Hugh (2011). The Oxford Dictionary of Saints (5th ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 182–183. ISBN 978-0199596953 Parameter error in {{ISBN}}: Invalid ISBN..
- ↑ "St. Francis Solanus". Catholic Online. https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=6863.
- ↑ "Basílica San Francisco" (in es). https://sanfrancisco.pe/.
- ↑ "Basílica San Francisco Solano" (in es). https://www.tarija.org.bo/basilica-san-francisco-solano/.
- ↑ "San Francisco Solano". https://www.montilla.es/turismo/san-francisco-solano.
- ↑ "San Francisco Solano" (in es). https://arquidiocesisdetrujillo.org/san-francisco-solano/.
- ↑ "San Francisco Solano" (in es). https://www.loja.gob.ec/san-francisco-solano/.
- ↑ "Santuario San Francisco Solano" (in es). https://www.iglesiaarica.cl/santuario-san-francisco-solano/.
- ↑ "San Francisco Solano" (in es). https://arquidiocesisdesalta.org/san-francisco-solano/.
- ↑ "St. Francis Solanus". Catholic Encyclopedia. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06215b.htm.
- ↑ "Canonization Records". https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html.
- ↑ Holweck, F.G.. A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints. pp. 404.
- ↑ "Saint Francis Solano". https://catholicsaints.info/saint-francis-solano-of-montilla/.