Petrus von Alcantara - Kronach, Bayern, Deutschland - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

Biography:

Juan came from a noble family of Extremadura. He practiced the hardest asceticism from his earliest youth. After two years of training at the University of Salamanca, he joined the Franciscan Order at the age of fifteen and was the first porter in the small convent of San Francisco de los Majarretes near Valencia de Alcántara. In 1524 he was ordained a priest. He worked as a priest and superior in various monasteries and was soon a sought-after preacher. As such, he was called by King John the Pious to the Portuguese royal court, where he is said to have moved prominent courtiers, including members of the royal family, to repentance and penance and gained high reputation.

After his return to Spain, he campaigned for the reform of the Franciscan Order. As early as 1540, under his aegis, the Constitutions of the Franciscan Order Province of St. Gabriel were tightened. In addition, Peter gave the impetus to numerous monastery foundations. He wandered barefoot across the Pyrenees to Rome, to be informed by Pope Julius III. to obtain permission for his reform work. 1555 was the founding of a Reform Congregation, from which the 1561 founded and 1563 papal approved province of St. Joseph grew. From 1557 he was responsible as General Commissioner for the supervised by him reform monasteries in Spain.

He himself retreated to Pedroso Monastery in northwestern Portugal, where he lived in the strictest asceticism in a tiny monastery cell. It is reported, among other things, that he only ate something every three days and in his cell, where he could not stretch out because of the narrowness, slept on the floor with his head against a board only slept one and a half or two hours a night. In addition, horrible Selbstkasteiungen are handed down. The cell can still be visited.

In the matter of the authorship of the Tratado de la oración y meditación (Treatise on Prayer and Meditation), which has a lasting effect on piety and mysticism and was written in Spanish, and which was also attributed to Louis of Granada, according to the prevailing opinion, Peter has the priority. Peter argued that women are better suited to spiritual life as ascetics and mystics in general than men.

In 1557, Teresa of Ávila Petrus, later also canonized, became acquainted with Teresa of Saint Peter at an advanced age and valued him as a counselor. Respected to the court and the Vatican, the religious supported Teresa's own reform efforts as a powerful advocate, and even after his death he often referred to ecclesiastical and secular authorities as the guarantor of their concerns. As confessor of the retired Emperor, Peter was also called by Alcantara to the retreat of Charles V in the monastery of Yuste.

In 1622 he was Pope Gregory XV. blessed and 1669 by Pope Clement IX. canonised. His feast is celebrated in the Catholic Church on 19 October. He is considered the patron saint of Brazil and protector of the night watchmen and night workers; The latter is justified by the fact that he is said to have watched the nights frequently in prayer. He is also being called for fever.

The statue: Over the entrance (Main-doorway) of the monastry church exists this statue of the person Peter of Alcantara. The height is approximately 1,20 m and is poor dressed and has a rod in his hand. Used material is unknown. Sorry in that reason!

Enjoy your visit here!

[Sources: Own research, Wikipedia - Pictures are taken by waymarkowner 1/2019]

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