INSTITUTION OF THE ORDER OF OUR MOTHER OF MERCY (SPAIN) - 10th Aug

 St. Peter Nolasco was born in 1189 at Mas-des-Saintes-Puelles, near Castelnaudary, Languedoc, France. At the age of 25 he took a vow of chastity and signed over his vast estates 

    to the Church. The Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Peter, to Raymund of Pennafort, his confessor and to the king. She desired the establishment of the Mercedarian Religious Order. 

    Its members would seek to free Christian captives and offer themselves, if necessary, as an exchange. The complete name of this order is the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary for 

    the Ransom of Captives. The king went to the Cathedral for a Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Barcelona. St. Raymund went up into the pulpit

    and narrated his vision. The king sought the blessing of the Bishop for the plan and the Bishop bestowed the habit on St. Peter and two others who vowed to give themselves 

    as a hostage. The Order was legally constituted at Barcelona by King James of Aragon was established in Spain and later approved by Pope Gregory IX under the name of Our Mother 

    of Mercy.




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