Bernard of Corleone

Bernard of Corleone, born Filippo Latini on February 6, 1605, was a Sicilian Capuchin friar who lived a life marked by extraordinary conversion and devotion. His early life was characterized by a volatile temper and a career as a soldier, where he was known for his skill with a sword and his readiness to engage in duels. This path led to a near-fatal incident in 1624, where he severely wounded his opponent, Vito Canino, and earned the nickname "the finest blade in Sicily."

Life and Historical Context

Born in Corleone, Sicily, Filippo Latini was the third of six children. He learned the shoemaking trade from his father, Leonardo, a compassionate man who aided the poor. Following his father's death in March 1620, Filippo continued the trade briefly before enlisting as a soldier in May 1618. His military life was defined by a fiery temper and a quickness to challenge others, a trait noted as his "single fault" by witnesses during his beatification trials. Despite his less-than-devout early life, he showed a protective instinct towards the vulnerable and was a devotee of Francis of Assisi.

The duel in the summer of 1624 proved to be a turning point. The severity of his actions and the subsequent uproar led him to seek refuge with the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in Palermo. This experience initiated a period of deep reflection and repentance. On December 13, 1632, he entered the Capuchin novitiate at Caltanissetta, receiving the religious name Bernardo. His commitment to his new life was marked by extreme asceticism: he scourged himself weekly, slept only three hours a night on a hard board, and largely subsisted on bread and water. He wore the most worn habits and occupied the most uncomfortable cells, a life of penance that contributed to his later suffering from rheumatism.

Bernard's life as a friar involved moving between various friaries in Sicily, including stints in Corleone, Bivona, Castronovo, Castelvetrano, Sambuca, Bisaquino, Ciminna, Agrigento, Caltabellotta, Burgio, Partinico, and finally Palermo, where he spent the last fifteen years of his life. He served in the friaries as a cook or assistant cook and was later responsible for laundry. He maintained a reconciliation with his former duel opponent, Vito Canino, meeting him several times after 1654.

Veneration and Sainthood

Bernard developed a strong devotion to the Madonna, and tradition holds that she appeared to him, placing the Infant Jesus in his arms and revealing the date of his death four months in advance. He died in Palermo on January 12, 1667, anticipating his "dies natalis" (birth into heaven). Numerous miracles were reported to have occurred at his grave.

The process for his beatification began in Palermo in 1673, with the apostolic process closing in 1689. He was declared Servant of God in 1725 and Venerable by Pope Clement XIII on February 2, 1762. Pope Clement XIII beatified him on April 29, 1768.

The cause for his canonization formally opened in 1773. After a miracle was investigated and validated by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, approved by medical experts and theologians, Pope John Paul II approved the miracle on July 1, 2000, and formalized his canonization date in a consistory on March 13, 2001. Pope John Paul II canonized Bernard of Corleone as a saint on June 10, 2001, in Saint Peter's Square.