Armengol, Pedro, Blessed

ARMENGOL, PEDRO, Blessed. — Born probably in 1238 in the village of Guardia del Prats, in the province of Tarragona, to the family of the counts of Urgel. After a wayward youth—his father Arnoldo, in the service of King Giacomo I of Aragon, discovered that he had even become the leader of a band of brigands—enlightened by divine grace, he was admitted at Barcelona into the young Order of Our Lady of Mercy, in order to devote himself entirely to the ransom of Christians captured by the Saracens. He worked actively for the liberation of many unfortunates in the peninsula and then in Africa, where, in order to redeem 18 Christian children, he endured various torments. Having returned to Spain, he lived in his native village, where he seems to have died in 1304, with a reputation for holiness. His name and deeds were extremely popular in the valley of Barbera and in the Prades mountains. His cult was recognized by Urbano VIII and confirmed by Innocenzo XI in 1687; his feast was transferred from 1 September to 27 April.