FATTORE, NICCOLÒ (Factor Nicolas), Blessed. Born to a Sicilian father in Valenza on 29 June 1537, died there on 23 December 1583. In 1537, unbeknownst to his family, he entered the Franciscans in Valenza, where, after being ordained a priest, he exercised the ministry of preaching with apostolic zeal and held various offices. Endowed with the gifts of miracles and prophecy, he was closely associated with St. Paschal Baylon and was sought after even by the King and the Spanish court. Toward the end of his life (1583), he passed to the Capuchins, but, not finding there the greater austerities he had hoped for, he returned to the Observant Franciscans.
BIBL.: G. Alapont, Compendio della vita del b. V. F., Roma 1786; L. da Clary, "Anselma serafica", IV. Quaracchi 1900, pp. 432-448; A. J. Vans, "E. Nicolas Factor", Valenza 1926. Alberio Ghinano.