Camillus of Lellis

Saint Camillus of Lellis
Also known as
· Camillus de Lellis
· Camillo de Lellis

Memorial
· 14 July everywhere in the world except the U.S. here, he gets bumped for Kateri Tekawitha, don’t get me started….
18 July in the U.S.

Profile

Our saint for today was the son of a military officer born 25 May 1550 Naples, Italy his mother died when Camillus was very young.

Camillus spent his youth as a soldier, it is said he was physically a large individual, perhaps as tall as 6′6″ (in the 1500’s no less) and powerfully built, but he suffered all his life from abscesses on his feet. He needed to really dry between his toes and use Desinex, I think. If your feet hurt, you can’t be happy…ask a mailman.

The Lord works in mysterious ways; Big Camillus was a gambling addict, he lost so much he had to take a job working construction on a building belonging to the Capuchins; they converted him.

Camillus entered the Capuchin noviate three times, but a nagging leg injury, received while fighting the Turks, each time forced him to give it up. He went to Rome, Italy for medical treatment where Saint Philip Neri became his priest and confessor. He moved into San Giacomo Hospital for the incurable, and eventually became its administrator.

He lacked a real education so he began studying with children and eventually was ordained a priest. He founded the Congregation of the Servants of the Sick (the Camellians or Fathers of a Good Death) who, naturally, care for the sick both in hospital and home. His experience in wars led him to establish a group of health care workers who would assist soldiers on the battlefield. This group would wear cassocks with red Crosses on them. The Red Cross on their cassock remains a symbol of the order today. Members also devoted themselves to plague victims.

It has been reported that he had the gifts of miraculous healing and prophecy. The International Red Cross copied the well-known symbol when they were founded as an organization to ensure captured soldiers were treated humanely. The modern Red Cross in the USA has monetary policies that would make Saint Camillus furious by the way, but I digress……

Died
· 14 July 1614 at Genoa, Italy of natural causes

Patronage
Against Athletes foot
· against bodily ills
Against foot diseases and disorders
Against gambling
· against illness
· against sickness
· hospitals
· hospital workers
· nurses
· sick people