FELICE di VALOIS, saint. - Co-founder of the Order of the Trinitarians, concerning whom no certain biographical information exists.
Born about 1127, of the royal family of Valois, as maintained by the Breviary of the Order (Paris 1514), died at Cerfroid on 4 Nov. 1212; he led an eremitical life at Cerfroid (Cervus Frigidus), diocese of Mesura. After the foundation of the Order (1194; bull of Innocent III, 16 May 1198), frater Felicius or Felix appears in documents of 1203 and 1208 as minister of the convent of the Most Holy Trinity in Marseille. The pontifical documents concerning the Order are always addressed solely to St. Giovanni de Matha. The cult ab immemorabili of F. was confirmed, together with that of St. Giovanni de Matha, by Alexander VII on 21 Oct. 1666 (S. R. Congr., Registrum Servorum Dei, II, pp. 526-27); the feast, fixed for 20 Nov. by Innocent XI (6 May 1679), was extended to the whole Church by Innocent XII (19 May 1694).
A. Pietro Fruse