Alphonsus Marie Liguori, St.
Part of The Encyclopedia of Southern Italy.
Alphonsus Marie Liguori, St. (original name: Alphonsus Marie Antony John Cosmos Damien Michael Gaspard de Liguori): (b. Sept. 27, 1696 at Marianella (NA); d. Aug. 1, 1787 at Nocera de Pagani). Ecclesiastic and Doctor of the Church. Patron saint of theologians. Born into a good family, his superior intellect enabled him to study for a legal degree at the age of 13, attaining it three years later. Soon after, he was admitted to the bar at Naples and, by age 24, was considered one of Italy’s greatest legal minds. After losing a case in 1723, he became disgusted with the legal profession and turned to the study of religion. In 1726 or 1732, he was ordained a priest, and, in 1731/1732, founded the missionary Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists). He dedicated the Order to aiding and converting the world’s poor. From c1756 (or 1762) to 1775, he served as bishop of Sant’Agata dei Goti, near Benevento. From 1770 to 1783, he defended the Redemptorists when the Spanish government claimed that they were actually simply another form of the outlawed Jesuits. In 1775, ill health forced him to resign from his see, but remained active in the Church. In 1777, he was duped into submitting a false constitution to King Ferdinand IV of Naples, for which he was denounced by Pope Pius VI. The pope also excluded him from the Redemptorist Order. It was not long, however, before he was restored to papal favor and spent his last years in retirement in his convent. In 1839 he was canonized and, in 1871, was declared to be a Doctor of the Church.
During his lifetime, Alfonsus wrote many works on theology, history, and asceticism. He is best known for Moral Theology (1748) and Glories of Mary (1750). Feast Day: Aug. 1.