Saint John of Kanty
Saint John of Kanty (born June 23, 1390 AD in Kęty, Lesser Poland, Poland; died December 24, 1473 AD in Kraków, Poland) was a Polish professor, theologian, and priest who taught at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków for over forty years and gave away so much of his income to the poor that he himself lived in poverty. He made four pilgrimages to Rome and one to Jerusalem on foot. He is the patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. His feast day is December 23.
Stored in Cargo: Saint John of Kanty
| Saint John of Kanty | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | December 23 |
| Profession | Professor; theologian; priest; pilgrim |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; secular clergy; professor and rector of theology at the Jagiellonian University; patron of Poland and Lithuania |
| Patronage | Poland; Lithuania; Kraków; students; professors; theologians; pilgrims; the poor; those who give generously |
| Attributes | Professor's academic robe; book (theology); pilgrim's staff and hat (four pilgrimages to Rome); the poor (his charity); the doctoral cap (Jagiellonian tradition) |
| Birthplace | Kęty, Oświęcim County, Lesser Poland, Poland |
| Death Place | Kraków, Lesser Poland, Poland |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died in Kraków on December 24, 1473 — Christmas Eve — after completing his lecture series at the university |
| Primary Shrine | Collegiate Church of Saint Anne, Kraków, Poland — he is buried here in the church adjacent to the Jagiellonian University; his tomb is a major pilgrimage site; also the Basilica of Saint John of Kanty, Kęty |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Calendar, December 23) |
| Historic Class | Feast (October 20) |
Biography
John (Jan in Polish) was born on June 23, 1390 in Kęty in Lesser Poland. He studied at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and was appointed professor of theology there, eventually serving for over forty years as a professor and briefly as rector.
He was famous for two things: his learning and his poverty-in-charity. He gave away his entire income beyond bare subsistence to the poor — and even his subsistence was austere. He wore rough clothes, ate simply, slept little, and spent long hours in prayer and study. He was kind to students, particularly poor ones, often paying their fees and sharing his meals with them.
He made four pilgrimages to Rome on foot — a journey of over 1,000 km each way — and one to Jerusalem. On one of the Roman pilgrimages he was robbed; discovering hidden money later, he attributed its survival to divine providence.
He died on December 24, 1473 — Christmas Eve — immediately after completing his final lecture at the university. His students preserved the desk at which he died; the tradition of students touching it before examinations endured at the Jagiellonian University for generations.
Pope Clement XIII canonized him in 1767. He is a patron of Poland and Lithuania.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Kęty, Oświęcim County, Lesser Poland, Poland
Death location: Kraków, Lesser Poland, Poland
Notable location:
Notable location: He made four pilgrimages to Rome on foot — a journey of over 1,000 km each way — motivated by devotion to the Apostles Peter and Paul and the shrines of Rome; he reportedly carried some of his poor students' baggage on his pilgrimages; his pilgrimages are attested in university records (Rome, Italy)
Notable location: His birthplace; the town venerates him as its patron; a church dedicated to him stands here and his memory is deeply embedded in the local tradition; the Basilica of Saint John of Kanty at Kęty draws pilgrims (Kęty, Lesser Poland, Poland)
Notable location:
Notable location:
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to John of Kanty have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Prayer to Saint John of Kanty | Under 5 minutes | Joy of Heaven |
| Saint John of Kanty : A Life of Humility, Service, and Academic Devotion | 5–15 minutes | Joy of Heaven |
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
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No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Collegiate Church of Saint Anne, Kraków, Poland — his tomb; adjacent to the Jagiellonian University.
- Basilica of Saint John of Kanty, Kęty, Poland — his birthplace; pilgrimage site.
Feast day
December 23
Veneration
Saint John of Kanty is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church on December 23 as an Optional Memorial. He is a patron of Poland and Lithuania.
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.