For the cardinal, see Thomas
Cajetan.For Saint Cajetan Catanoso, see Gaetano Catanoso.
Saint Cajetan, born
Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene, also Thiene
(October 1, 1480 - August 7, 1547) is a Roman Catholic Church saint and founder of the order of the Clerics Regular, better known
as the Theatines. He is not to be
confused with his contemporary, Cardinal
Thomas Cajetan.
Biography
St Cajetan
was born at Vicenza
, then part
of the Republic of
Venice
. Cajetan's parents were Gaspar, Count of
Thiene, and Maria Porto.
Predisposed to piety by his mother, he
studied law in Padua
, receiving
his degree as doctor
utriusque juris (i.e., in civil and canon law) at age
24. In 1506 he worked as a diplomat for Pope Julius II with whom he helped reconcile
the Venetian
Republic. But he was not ordained a
priest until the year
1516.
Recalled to Vicenza in the following year by the death of his
mother, he founded a
hospital for
incurables there. His interests were as much or more devoted to
spiritual healing than the physical kind. He intended to form a
group that would combine the spirit of
monasticism with the exercises of the active
ministry. The death of
Pope Adrian VI
in 1523 led him to withdraw from the Papal Court, founding an order
based on these ideals, "the
Oratory of Divine Love."
This new congregation was canonically erected by
Pope Clement VII in the year 1524. One of
his four companions was Giovanni Pietro Carafa, the
Bishop of Chieti, elected first superior of
the order, who later became Pope as
Paul
IV.
From the name of the city of Chieti
(in ), arose
the name by which the order is known, the "Theatines". The order grew at a fairly slow
pace: there were only twelve Theatines during the
sack of Rome in 1527. That event is said
to have seen them harassed by anti-Catholic forces, causing them to
flee to Venice where Cajetan met
Saint
Jerome Emiliani, whom he assisted in the establishment of his
Congregation of Clerks Regular. In 1533 he founded a house in
Naples which aided those who wished to check the advances of
Lutheranism.
The year 1540 found
him in Venice again and from there he extended his work to Verona
.
Despite
successes, he died of grief in Naples
, in the
Kingdom of Naples. He was
beatified on
October
8,
1629, by
Pope
Urban VIII. On
April 12,
1671, Cajetan was
canonized
together with
Rose of Lima,
Luis Beltrán,
Francisco de Borja and
Felipe Benicio.
Saint Cajetan's
feast day is celebrated on
August 7. He is known as the
patron saint of the unemployed, gamblers, job
seekers and good fortune.
His remains are in the church of San Paolo
Maggiore
in Naples; outside the church is Piazza San
Gaetano, with a statue of the saint.
Churches named after St Cajetan
- San Gaetano
, Florence
- St Cajetan Roman Catholic Church, Archdiocese of Chicago, Chicago
, Illinois
- St
Cajetan Parish, Archdiocese of
Denver, Denver
, Colorado
- Parroquia de San Cayetano, Barrio de
Liniers, Buenos Aires
, Argentina
- Parroċċa ta' San Gejtanu, Ħamrun
, Malta
- Knisja San Gejtanu, St. Thomas Bay, Marsaskala
, Malta
- Iglesia de San Cayetano (La Valenciana),
Guanajuato
, Mexico
- Saint-Cajetan (Armagh), Armagh
, Canada
Argentina
Saint
Cajetan is one of the principal saints invoked in the Roman Catholic Church in Argentina. He is known in Argentina as the "Patron of labour" ( ).
The
Church of San Cayetano in Buenos Aires, located in the barrio (neighborhood) of Liniers is visited every August
7 by millions of devotees asking for his intercession in
obtaining gainful employment or to thank him for employment already
obtained.
Malta
Saint
Cajetan ( ) is one of the patron saints of Ħamrun, and his
feast is celebrated the first Sunday after August 7. Many
are the people who attend the celebrations every year, and the
feast's Sunday Morning March is one of the most popular Marches in
Malta. Early in the evening, a procession with the beautiful statue
of Saint Cajetan leaves the church and is carried in procession all
around Hamrun.
San
Gejtanu Parish is located almost at the centre of Ħamrun, and this church was home for Saint Gorg Preca, a Maltese Saint who used
to attend Holy Mass in this parish. Saint Gorg Preca's life is similar to that
of Saint Cajetan, especially when considering their love for
Jesus, their values, and the good examples
they both gave in their lives.
Saint Cajetan's Church was built in the 19th century and is of
Neo-Gothic Style. The interior was painted by Emvin Cremona, whilst
the titular statue was Carlo Darmanin's work. Ħamrunizi (people of
Ħamrun) are very much devoted to their patron saint and many are
those asking for his intercession.
See also
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