# Matins Nocturn 2 reading for St. Francis Caracciolo, Confessor
# (June 4). Sourced directly from web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/06-04.txt,
# English/Sancti/06-04.txt. Lectio4-6 combined into one reading, one
# continuous vita. No Lectio7-9 in his own file (his `[Rule]` is `vide
# C5`) -- defers to the Common of a Confessor's own Nocturn 3, not
# transcribed here.
id: st-francis-caracciolo
readings:
  - nocturn: 2
    isGospel: false
    text:
      la: >-
        Francíscus, dictus ántea Ascánius, ex nóbili família Carácciolo in óppido
        sanctæ Maríæ de Villa in Aprútio ortus, a primis annis exímio enítuit pietátis
        cultu. Adoléscens gráviter ægrótans státuit sese prorsus Dei proximíque
        mancipáre servítio. Neápolim proféctus, sacerdótio initiátus sacróque
        adscríptus sodalítio, contemplatióni lucrandísque animábus se totum devóvit, ac
        extrémo supplício damnátis hortatórem se præbuit assíduum. Cóntigit autem, ut
        epístolum álteri destinátum ei per errórem redderétur, quo a piíssimis viris
        Joánne Augustíno Adórno et Fabrício Carácciolo ad novi religiósi institúti
        fundatiónem vocabátur. Rei novitáte captus et divínæ voluntátis demirátus
        consília, álacri ánimo sese illis adjúnxit. Cónditis autem in Camaldulénsium
        erémo, quo secésserant, novi órdinis légibus, inde Romam simul profécti
        confirmatiónem a Xysto quinto impetrárunt, qui eósdem cléricos reguláres
        Minóres appellári vóluit, áddito ad tria consuéta áltero de non ambiéndis
        dignitátibus voto.


        Solémni emíssa professióne, ob singulárem ejus in divum Francíscum
        Assisinátem cultum, Francísci nomen assúmpsit. Adórno biénnio post vita
        functo, ipse toti religióni, quamquam invítus, præfícitur; quo in múnere
        virtútum ómnium præclára præbuit exémpla. Institúti amplificándi studiosíssimus,
        id assíduis oratiónibus, lácrimis, et jugi córporis maceratióne eníxe a Deo
        postulábat. Quam ob rem tértio in Hispániam se cóntulit, peregríni hábitu
        indútus, victúmque ostiátim mendícans. In itínere aspérrima quæque perpéssus,
        Omnipoténtis auxílium mirum in modum expértus, navim quam conscénderat, ab
        imminénti naufrágio oratiónis præsídio servávit incólumem. Ut in regnis illis
        voti compos fíeret, plúrimum laborávit; sed, ejus sanctitátis fama prælucénte,
        amplissimáque catholicórum regum Philíppi secúndi et Philíppi tértii
        munificéntia, adversariórum conátibus singulári ánimi fortitúdine superátis,
        plura sui órdinis domicília fundávit: quod pari evéntu per Itáliam præstitit.


        Humilitáte ádeo excélluit, ut Romam véniens, in páuperum hospítio recéptus, se
        lepróso sociáverit, et ecclesiásticas dignitátes a Paulo quinto sibi oblátas
        constantíssime recusáverit. Illibátam perpétuo servávit virginitátem,
        effrontésque mulíeres, ejus castimóniæ insidiántes, Christo lucrifécit. Erga
        diviníssimum Eucharístiæ mystérium ardénti æstuans amóre, noctes pene íntegras
        in ejus adoratióne insómnes ducébat: quod pium exercítium, véluti sui órdinis
        tésseram, in eo perpétuo servándum constítuit. Deíparæ Vírginis cultum impénse
        fovit. In próximum exímia exársit caritáte. Prophetíæ dono et córdium
        scrutatióne ditátus fuit. Quadragésimum quartum ætátis suæ annum agens, dum in
        sacra Lauretána, æde in oratióne persísteret, sibi vitæ finem imminére cognóvit.
        Aprútium statim defléxit, et in óppido Agnóni apud alúmnos sancti Philíppi
        Nerii letháli febre corréptus, sacraméntis Ecclésiæ devotíssime suscéptis,
        prídie Nonas Júnii anni millésimi sexcentésimi octávi, in pervigílio festi
        Córporis Christi, placidíssime obdormívit in Dómino. Sacrum ejus corpus,
        Neápolim delátum, in ecclésia sanctæ Maríæ Majóris, ubi prima sui órdinis
        jécerat fundaménta, honorífice cónditum fuit.
      en: >-
        This Francis, whose worldly name was Ascanius, was one of the noble family of
        Caracciolo. He was born in the town of Santa Maria della Villa, in the Abruzzi.
        From his earliest years he showed great marks of godliness. When he was a young
        man he had a severe illness, and on his recovery determined to serve God only,
        and bade farewell to the world. He betook himself to Naples, where he was
        ordained Priest, enrolled himself in a devout guild, and gave himself up
        altogether to seek after God, and to gain souls for Him, in which work he
        showed himself an unwearied comforter to such prisoners as were condemned to
        death. It came to pass that those two great servants of God, John Augustine
        Adorno and Fabricius Caracciolo, wrote a letter to a certain person, wherein
        they exhorted him to found a new religious Institute. This letter came by a
        mistake to be delivered to Francis Caracciolo. The newness of the idea and the
        strange ways of God's Providence took possession of his mind, and he joyfully
        added himself to their company. They withdrew themselves to the wilderness of
        the Camaldolese hermits, and there concerted the Rule of the New Order. Thence
        they went together to Rome, and obtained the confirmation of their work from
        Sixtus V, who was pleased that they should be called The Lesser Clerks Regular,
        since they add to the three accustomed vows a fourth, binding themselves not to
        seek preferment in the Church.


        Ascanius Caracciolo, moved by a special love and devotion he had to the holy
        Francis of Assisi, took, when he made his solemn profession, the name of
        Francis. After two years, John Adorno departed this life, and Francis, against
        his own will, was made Head of the Order. In this office he shone a burning
        light of grace. Devoted to the prosperity of the Institute, he earnestly sought
        the blessing of God upon it, by constant prayer, by tears, and by stern
        treatment of his own body. In this work, he thrice travelled into Spain in the
        guise of a pilgrim, and begging his bread from door to door. In these his
        journeys he suffered very great hardships, and was most wonderfully helped by
        the Almighty, especially one while when he was on shipboard and the ship nigh
        to perish, but for the work of his prayers. He toiled hard in those countries to
        attain his wishes, but through the widespread fame of his holy life, and the
        noble generosity of the Most Catholic Kings Philip II. and Philip III., he
        overcame with his brave perseverance the opposition of all that withstood him,
        and founded several houses of his Order. This he was able to do in Italy also.


        There was a great pattern of lowliness, so that when he came to Rome he betook
        himself to an almshouse, and chose a leper for his familiar friend. Paul V.
        offered him diverse honours in the Church, but he firmly refused them all. He
        preserved his purity unspotted, and when certain shameless women set themselves
        to attack his chastity, he took the occasion to gain over their souls for
        Christ. Toward God's great mystery of the Eucharist he was drawn with
        passionate tenderness, and would pass almost whole nights without sleep, simply
        adoring It. This godly custom he established in his Order, to be kept up
        therein for ever, the peculiar mark thereof. He was a great encourager of the
        worship of the Maiden Mother of God. He was hot with strong love for his
        neighbour. He was gifted with prophecy, and the discerning of spirits. In the
        forty-fourth year of his age he was continuing long in prayer in the Holy House
        of Loretto, when it was made known to him that the end of his earthly life was
        at hand. He straightway took his way to the Abruzzi, and was there seized with
        illness while he was with the disciples of St. Philip Neri, in the town of
        Agnone. He received with great devotion the Sacraments of the Church, and then,
        upon the 4th day of June, being the Eve of the Feast of the Body of Christ, in
        the year 1608, he very peacefully fell asleep in the Lord. His sacred body was
        carried to Naples, and there honourably buried in the Church of St. Mary the
        Greater, where he had laid the first foundations of his Order.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }
