About the holy man Brother Peter of Norcia, cleric

Brother Peter was born the region of Norcia to poor, good Christian parents. At an early age he went to school and learned enough to read. Then he was put to work as a pack-saddler.

It pleased the Lord God to put in his heart that he should leave the world and our Congregation received him. He was a disciple of Father Baptist of Norcia. A light from God overcame him in novitiate that struck him in such a way that he considered himself to be the greatest sinner in the world, although truly he would have always been a good son. He became a Friar at about the age of sixteen years. Neither his Master nor anyone else could remove this impression from his that if he wanted to save himself he must do great penance. He dedicated himself to abstinence with so much fervour that it was incredible. For during the entire time of his novitiate that he never satisfied his hunger and most of the time he fasted on bread and water. Seeing that he was a good son and capable of suffering, his Master allowed him to do it. After he made his profession he still continued to eat bread and water and nearly always fasted except on Sundays or on some solemnities when the Superiors had him eat some soup and some other dish. However he ate so little it was as good as nothing at all. He would have been continuously at prayer if the Friars had not stopped him. He would not have cared about eating and sleeping. He was so engrossed in this abstinence that he made a habit of it, so that if he would have had to change that way of living it would have done him great harm, so much was his nature attenuated! During his prayer he continuously wept and beat his breast. Often he was heard saying beneath his breath, “Lord, forgive my sins. There is no one in the world that may have offended you more than I. I deserve hell.” He never wanted more than one habit and in winter he covered it with the worst patches that were in the house.

For many years he persevered in this fervour, growing in the holy virtues, especially in humility and abstinence. Many times the Friars said, “Brother Peter, do not make yourself ill.” And he would reply, “Jesus Christ did not become ill for me, but died. When will I purge all my many sins?”

When he was in the old friary at Spoleto be fell ill. He did not last long in that sick. Because he was so weak, he passed away to a better life in a short time. He was buried in that house.

Because of the great austerity that this servant of God had practised, it gave occasion to many to think ill about something he said when he was at the very end of his life. He said, “Give me something to eat for I am damned.” Therefore some wanted to interpret this word that his death had been premature because of his continuous and harsh penance and that God wanted to show on this point that Brother Peter had been in error in going beyond the limits of discretion. He would have been able to live in the service of God for many years since he was young. They said that his indiscretion in doing too much penance would have been the case of his sickness and consequently of his death. They said this about him for a long time and pointed to him as an example for the young so that they would not fall ill from too much suffering. He was used as an example also for the old because although the virtues are good, none the less, taking them to the extreme makes them vices. Therefore, as the glorious Saint Anthony said, “Discretion is the queen of all the virtues.”

However, it was clearly understood that young man said these words when he was not himself. Therefore he died in a very holy manner and everyone hopes that he is deriving the benefits of all his efforts in paradise. Amen.