JOHN OF MATHA, Saint. - Born of a noble family at Faucon (Provence) on 23 June 1160, died at Rome on 17 Dec. 1213. He studied his first letters at Aix (Provence) in the years 1172-78 and from 1180 theology at the University of Paris. Ordained a priest on 15 Nov. 1192, he withdrew into solitude. At Cerfroid (Aisne) he met Felix of Valois, with whom he lived for some years. Determined to found an Order for the ransom of Christians enslaved by the Muslims, in Rome, where they arrived on 18 Jan. 1198, they submitted their project to Innocent III, who confirmed its rules on 17 Dec. The Order was called that of the Most Holy Trinity, or of the Trinitarians, with a white habit and a red and blue cross on the breast. G. settled in Rome. He at once devoted himself to the ransom of slaves and attended to the spread of the Order. He founded convents in the south of France and in Spain. Feast on 8 Feb.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: R. v. Kralik, Geschichte des Trinitariordens, Vienna 1918; A. de l'Assomption, Les origines de l'ordre de la Très Ste Trinité, Rome 1925.

Giovanni Meseguer

@incollection{ec6_giovanni_di_matha_santo, author = {Meseguer, Giovanni}, title = {Giovanni di Matha, santo}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {570}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/giovanni-di-matha-santo} }

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John of Matha, Saint

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