Pedro Armengol
Pedro Armengol was a Spanish Roman Catholic who, after a youth as a robber, experienced a profound conversion and joined the Mercedarians. He is primarily remembered for his dangerous ministry of liberating Christian captives from the Moors and for miraculously surviving being hanged by them.
- Feast Day
- 26 April
- Century
- 13th century
- Country Or Region
- Spain
Key Facts
- ›Pedro Armengol Rocafort was born in 1238 to a nobleman in La Guàrdia dels Prats.
- ›He became a robber in his adolescence and surrendered to soldiers after a skirmish with his father.
- ›He joined the Mercedarians in Barcelona after meeting Peter Nolasco and was ordained a priest.
- ›Armengol devoted himself to ransoming captive Christians from the Moors in Andalusia and North Africa.
- ›In 1266, while held hostage to secure an additional ransom, he was hanged but found alive a year later.
- ›He spent the rest of his life at a Mercedarian house in his hometown, where he died on April 27, 1304.
Pedro Armengol Rocafort
Noose Around His Neck
About Pedro Armengol
Pedro Armengol Rocafort (c. 1238 – 27 April 1304) was a Spanish Roman Catholic who, after a period of adolescent thievery, experienced a profound conversion and joined the Mercedarian order. He is primarily remembered for his devoted work in liberating Christian captives from the Moors and for his miraculous survival after being hanged while on a mission.
Life and Historical Context
Born into a noble family in La Guàrdia dels Prats, Pedro Armengol Rocafort's early life was marked by pride and strong will, leading him into a life of banditry. In 1258, he encountered his father, a soldier, during a skirmish and surrendered. This event led to his condemnation to death, from which he was reprieved due to his father's service.
Later that year, a meeting with Peter Nolasco in Barcelona inspired him to join the Mercedarian order. After his ordination as a priest, he became a 'redeemer', a perilous ministry focused on rescuing Christians held captive by the Moors in regions like Andalusia and North Africa.
Armengol undertook several successful missions, freeing hundreds of captives in areas such as Murcia, Granada, Algiers, Tangier, and Oran. In 1266, while ransoming captives at Béjaïa, he volunteered to remain as a hostage against an additional ransom payment for twenty individuals considering conversion to Islam. When the ransom was not paid by the deadline, he was hanged from a tree. Miraculously, he survived this ordeal. His companion, arriving late, found him alive and used the ransom money to secure the freedom of the captives.
The ordeal left Armengol with a twisted neck and a haggard appearance. He spent the remainder of his life at the Mercedarian house in his hometown, serving as father superior in 1291.
Veneration
Pedro Armengol's cultus was confirmed by Pope Urban VIII on March 3, 1626. He was formally canonized as a saint on April 8, 1687, by Pope Innocent XI. His feast day is celebrated on April 27, the date of his death, although it was moved to April 26 in the General Roman Calendar reform of 1969. The Mercedarians and the Diocese of Córdoba continue to observe April 27. Iconographically, he is often depicted with a noose around his neck.
Legacy
Pedro Armengol's life exemplifies a dramatic turn from a life of crime to one of profound religious devotion and sacrifice. His survival from execution and his tireless efforts to liberate captives highlight his commitment to his faith and his order's mission.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pedro Armengol?
Pedro Armengol was a Spanish Roman Catholic who lived from approximately 1238 to 1304. He was a member of the Mercedarian order, dedicated to freeing Christian captives from the Moors.
What is Pedro Armengol best known for?
Armengol is best known for his ministry of ransoming captive Christians and for a miraculous event where he was hanged by the Moors but survived. He attributed his survival to the protection of the Virgin Mary.
What was Pedro Armengol's early life like?
Born Pedro Armengol Rocafort, he was of noble birth but became a robber and joined a group of bandits during his adolescence. He surrendered to soldiers after a skirmish with his father.
When and how was Pedro Armengol canonized?
Pedro Armengol was canonized as a saint on April 8, 1687, by Pope Innocent XI, who approved his long-standing devotion or 'cultus'.
What is Pedro Armengol's feast day?
His feast day is traditionally celebrated on April 27, the date of his death. However, due to reforms in the General Roman Calendar, it was moved to April 26 in 1969, though the Mercedarians and the Diocese of Córdoba retain April 27.
Related Saints
Raymond Nonnatus
Raymond Nonnatus was a Mercedarian friar and missionary from Catalonia, Spain, known for his birth by Caesarean section after his mother's death. He is venerated as the patron saint of childbirth, midwives, children, pregnant women, and priests who defend the confidentiality of confession.
Peter Nolasco
Peter Nolasco was a Catholic nobleman recognized for founding the Royal and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy of the Redemption of the Captives, also known as the Mercedarians. He established this order with papal approval in 1235 to rescue Christian captives from Muslim raids. Nolasco is primarily remembered as the founder of this religious order dedicated to ransoming slaves.
Serapion of Algiers
Serapion of Algiers was an English Catholic Mercedarian priest and martyr, recognized as the first of his Order to achieve martyrdom. He is chiefly remembered for his brutal death while serving as a hostage for the ransom of Christian captives and for being depicted in art by Francisco Zurbarán. Pope Benedict XIII declared him a martyr and approved his veneration.