FATTORE, NICCOLÒ (Factor Nicolas), blessed. — Born to a Sicilian father at Valenza on 29 June 1537; died there on 23 December 1583. In 1557, without his parents’ knowledge, he entered the Franciscans at Valenza, where, after being ordained a priest, he carried out the ministry of preaching with apostolic zeal and held various offices. Endowed with the gifts of miracles and prophecy, he was on intimate terms with s. Pasquale Baylon, and was also sought out by the King and the Spanish court. Toward the end of his life (1583), he joined the Capuchins, but, not finding there the greater austerities he had hoped for, returned to the Observance.
BIBL.: G. Alspont, Compendio della vita del b. N. F., Roma 1786; L. da Clarv, Aureola serafica. IV. Quancchi 1900, pp. 432-448; A. Ivors, El b. Nicolas Factor, Valenza 1926. Alberto Ghurana