THEOPHILUS of CORTE, St. — Franciscan friar, born Biagio dei Signori, at Corte (Corsica) on 30 Oct. 1676, died at Fucecchio (diocese of S. Miniato) on 19 May 1740.
Having entered the Franciscans at Corte in 1693, after solid cultural training in Rome and Naples he devoted himself to preaching with extraordinary fruitfulness. Yet his activity was not so much directed to the souls of the world as rather to an apostolate for greater perfection within the convents of his Order, restoring them to closer adherence to the Rule and norms of St. Francis, from which many had strayed to the detriment of discipline and sterility in works of good. Thus, together with the Blessed Thomas of Cori, he promoted the transformation of the convents of Bellegra, Palombara, Zuani and Fucecchio into “Retreats,” overcoming the strongest opposition. The excess of his zeal and labour wore down his constitution under the lash of fever and exhaustion, which led him to the grave.
He was beatified in 1806 and canonized by Pius XI in 1931. Feast, 19 May.