Bienheureux Simon Ballacchi
religieux
de l’Ordre des Prêcheurs (✝ 1319)
Fêté au propre du
calendrier dominicain.
Simone Ballacchi, né vers 1240 dans la noblesse italienne, était destiné à s'occuper des biens de sa famille mais, contre l'avis des siens, à 27 ans, il prit l'habit de frère convers au couvent de Rimini sur la côte adriatique où il passa toute sa vie religieuse. Son esprit de pénitence, orienté comme celui de saint Dominique vers la conversion des pécheurs, le poussa à des austérités extraordinaires. Il fut en même temps un modèle de douceur souriante et d'humilité, aimé des enfants qu'il catéchisait, aimé de tout le peuple de Rimini qui mit ses vêtements en lambeaux après sa mort pour en faire des reliques.
Il a été béatifié en 1820 par Pie VII.
Il mena une vie tout entière consacrée au service de ses frères, à la pénitence et à la prière.
Martyrologe
romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/8912/Bienheureux-Simon-Ballacchi.html
Simon Ballachi
Dominicain, Bienheureux
† 1319
Le B.
Simon, fils de Rodolphe, comte de Saint-Archangelo, ville près de Rimini, en
Italie, naquit vers le milieu du treizième siècle. L'Italie était alors
déchirée par des factions politiques, qui se persécutaient avec une fureur sans
bornes. Ces sentiments peu chrétiens furent enseignés de bonne heure à Simon
lui-même, dont la naissance était si élevée, et il les nourrit dans son cœur
jusqu'au moment où il fut éclairé de l'Esprit-Saint, et où il résolut de les
fuir. Ce fut dans ce pieux dessein qu'à l'âge de 27 ans il se consacra au
service de Dieu dans l'ordre de S. Dominique. Le couvent de Rimini conservait
encore les impressions profondes qu'y avait laissées la vertu de S. Thomas
d'Aquin et du saint martyr Pierre, qui y avaient demeuré l'un et l'autre. Ce
fut cet esprit de sainteté qui arrêta son choir sur cette maison, où il se fit
recevoir comme frère-lai. Quoiqu’issu d'une famille illustre, et neveu de
l'évêque de Rimini, il ne voulut jamais consentir à accepter de l'avancement,
et préféra une vie retirée en Dieu à toutes les distinctions auxquelles les
hommes attachent du prix. Il remplit avec ardeur et humilité tous les devoirs
de son état.
Son attention, son zèle et sa soumission avaient
quelque chose d'étonnant. Il avait porté au plus haut degré les vertus de
l'abstinence et de la mortification. Son zèle pour le salut du prochain allait
si loin, que souvent il parcourait la ville la croix à la main, instruisait les
enfants dans les principes de la religion, et exhortait sévèrement, et presque
toujours avec succès, les pécheurs à quitter le sentier du vice. Sa mort arriva
en 1319, et sa réputation de sainteté était si générale, qu'on fut obligé de
différer son enterrement au-delà du terme ordinaire, tant l'affluence du peuple
était grande. Ses restes mortels furent transférés plusieurs fois depuis ce
temps, jusqu'à ce que les habitants de Saint-Archangelo en fissent en 1817 la
translation solennelle dans la cathédrale. Le Pape Pie VII permit en 1821, sur
le rapport de la congrégation des Rites, à l'ordre des Dominicains et au clergé
du diocèse de Rimini de célébrer à l'avenir la fête du B. Simon. On honore sa
mémoire le 3 Novembre.
SOURCE : Alban Butler : Vie des Pères,
Martyrs et autres principaux Saints… – Traduction :
Jean-François Godescard.
SOURCE :
http://alexandrina.balasar.free.fr/simon_ballachi.htmBlessed Simon Ballachi, OP (AC)
Born at Sant'Arcangelo near Rimini, Italy, 1250; died November 3, 1319;
declared blessed in 1817 (cultus confirmed in 1821?).
The son of Count
Ballachi, nephew of two archbishops of Rimini, and brother of a priest, Simon
Ballachi became a Dominican lay-brother at age 27. His family was none too
happy about this decision because he was supposed to administer the family
property and had been trained as a soldier. They couldn't understand why he
would abandon the many opportunities life had provided for him. Not only was he
throwing away a prestigious position in society, he was not even becoming a
priest, which would provide him with a chance for ecclesiastical preferences.
Oblivious to the
criticism of his family, Simon readily undertook the life of a lay brother. His
principal work, to his great delight, was tending the garden. Having been
preoccupied with military training, Simon may never have seen a garden prior to
entering the Dominicans. He probably had to learn all the details of the art by
trial and error.
But while he tended
the friary garden, he continued to plant prayers for his soul. He was adept at
seeing God in everything. It is written that he meditated on every act,
"so that, while his hands cultivated the herbs and flowers of the earth,
his heart might be a paradise of sweet-smelling flowers in the sight of
God." He tried to find in everything he handled in the garden some lesson
it could teach him about the spiritual life. When the weather was too bad for
him to work outside, he swept and cleaned the monastery. Wherever his work took
him, he tried to do it well and to efface himself completely, so that no one
would even notice that he was there.
Under the placid
exterior of a gardener, Simon concealed a spiritual life of extraordinary
austerity and prayer. He worked hard during the day yet he never excused
himself from rising for the night office, nor from severe penance. For 20 years
he wore an iron chain around his waist. In Lent, he lived on bread and water.
He found extra time for prayer by foregoing sleep. Like Saint Dominic, he
scourged himself every night. Of course, all this growth in holiness attracted
the devil, who would attempt to distract Simon.
Other visitors came
to him in the silence of the night: Saint Catherine of Alexandria, to whom he
had a special devotion, Saint Dominic and Saint Peter Martyr, and sometimes the
Blessed Virgin herself. His little cell was radiant with heavenly lights, and sometimes
angelic voices could be heard within.
Simon was blinded
at age 57 and became helpless for the last years of his life, yet he never
despaired (Benedictines, Dorcy).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/1103.shtml
Blessed Simon Ballachi
Assigned to work in the garden of his friary, something he knew nothing about but which he loved instantly. He saw God in everything, and prayed constantly as he worked. Noted for his simple life, his strict adherence to the Dominican Rule, and his excellent work as a catechist to children. A visionary, Simon was visited by the devil, by Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Dominic de Guzman, Saint Peter Martyr, and the Blessed Virgin Mary; other brothers saw his cell glowing, and heard angelic voices. Blinded at age 57, he was nearly helpless during the last years of his life; he never despaired, and used the extra free time for prayer.
Blessed Simon Ballachi
Profile
Born to the
nobility, the son of Count Ballachi. His family had a close association with the Church clergy;
two of his uncles became archbishops
of Rimini, Italy, and a younger brother was a priest. Trained as a soldier and in administration, he was expected to take over the
family estates. Against his family wishes, he joined the Dominicans
as a lay-brother at age 27.
Assigned to work in the garden of his friary, something he knew nothing about but which he loved instantly. He saw God in everything, and prayed constantly as he worked. Noted for his simple life, his strict adherence to the Dominican Rule, and his excellent work as a catechist to children. A visionary, Simon was visited by the devil, by Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Dominic de Guzman, Saint Peter Martyr, and the Blessed Virgin Mary; other brothers saw his cell glowing, and heard angelic voices. Blinded at age 57, he was nearly helpless during the last years of his life; he never despaired, and used the extra free time for prayer.
Born
- 5 November 1319 in Rimini, Italy of natural causes
Blessed Simon Ballachi,
C.O.P.
Memorial Day: November 3rd
Profile
The son of Count Ballachi, nephew of two archbishops
of Rimini, and brother of a priest, Simon Ballachi became a Dominican lay-brother
at age 27. His family was none too happy about this decision because he was
supposed to administer the family property and had been trained as a soldier.
They couldn't understand why he would abandon the many opportunities life had
provided for him. Not only was he throwing away a prestigious position in
society, he was not even becoming a priest, which would provide him with a
chance for ecclesiastical preferences.
Oblivious to the criticism of his family, Simon
readily undertook the life of a lay brother. His principal work, to his great
delight, was tending the garden. Having been preoccupied with military
training, Simon may never have seen a garden prior to entering the Dominicans.
He probably had to learn all the details of the art by trial and error.
But while he tended the friary garden, he continued
to plant prayers for his soul. He was adept at seeing God in everything. It is
written that he meditated on every act, "so that, while his hands
cultivated the herbs and flowers of the earth, his heart might be a paradise of
sweet-smelling flowers in the sight of God." He tried to find in
everything he handled in the garden some lesson it could teach him about the
spiritual life. When the weather was too bad for him to work outside, he swept
and cleaned the monastery. Wherever his work took him, he tried to do it well
and to efface himself completely, so that no one would even notice that he was
there.
Under the placid exterior of a gardener, Simon
concealed a spiritual life of extraordinary austerity and prayer. He worked
hard during the day yet he never excused himself from rising for the night
office, nor from severe penance. For 20 years he wore an iron chain around his
waist. In Lent, he lived on bread and water. He found extra time for prayer by
foregoing sleep. Like Saint Dominic, he scourged himself every night. Of
course, all this growth in holiness attracted the devil, who would attempt to
distract Simon.
Other visitors came to him in the silence of the
night: Saint Catherine of Alexandria, to whom he had a special devotion, Saint
Dominic and Saint Peter Martyr, and sometimes the Blessed Virgin herself. His
little cell was radiant with heavenly lights, and sometimes angelic voices
could be heard within.
Simon was blinded at age 57 and became helpless for the last years of
his life, yet he never despaired (Benedictines, Dorcy).
Born: at Sant'Arcangelo near Rimini, Italy, 1250
Died: died November 3, 1319
Beatified: declared blessed in 1817
(cultus confirmed in 1820 by Pope Pius VIII)
Prayers/Commemorations
First Vespers:
Ant. Strengthen by holy intercession, O Simon , confessor of the Lord,
those here present, have we who are burdened with the weight of our offenses
may be relieved by the glory of thy blessedness, and may by thy guidance attain
eternal rewards.
V. Pray for us, Blessed Simon
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Lauds:
Ant. Well done, good and faithful servant, because Thou hast been
faithful in a few things, I will set thee over many, sayeth the Lord.
V. The just man shall blossom like the lily.
R. And shall flourish forever before the Lord.
Second Vespers:
Ant. I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock..
V. Pray for us. Blessed Simon
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Prayer:
Let us Pray: O God, who, among his
other virtues, didst adorn Blessed Simon Thy Confessor, with constant diligence
in prayer and a singular prerogative of humility, grant us so to imitate him
that, despising all the things of the world, we may here seek Thee alone, and
hereafter attain the rewards in heaven promised to the humble. Through Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Today is the memorial of Blessed
Simon Ballachi --1250-1319. Born to Italian nobility, Simon was trained in
his youth to be a soldier. His family expected him to assume administrative
responsibility for the estates, but, instead, he joined the
Dominicans as a lay brother at age 27. Simon was assigned to care for the
priory garden -- something he knew nothing about, but which he instantly loved,
as working in the garden and cleaning around the priory allowed him the
opportunity to meditate and practice humility. Simon was noted for his simple
life, his strict adherence to the Dominican rule and his excellent work as a
catechist to children. He was gifted with visits from St. Catherine of
Alexandria, St. Dominic, St. Peter Martyr, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Blinded at age 57, he was nearly helpless during the last years of
his life, but he never despaired, and spent the time in prayer. Simon died on
November 3rd, 1319. He was beatified in 1817 by Pope Pius VII. Blessed
Simon Ballachi is the patron saint of gardeners.
