St. Alexis Falconieri
Feastday: February 17
Patron of the city of Orvieto (Italy)
1200 - 1310
Founder and mystic, one of the first Servants of Mary
or Servites. The son of a wealthy merchant in Florence, Italy, Alexis
and six companions joined the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin in Florence in 1225. Gathered together on the Feast of the Assumption in 1233, the group experienced a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary
which inspired them to found a new religious community dedicated to
prayer. They founded such a group at La Camarzia, near Florence, moving
eventually to Monte Senario, on the outskirts of the city. Another
vision inspired Alexis and his companions to form
the Servites, or the Servants of Mary. All in the group were ordained
priests, except for Alexis, who believed he was not worthy of such an
honor. He helped build the Servite church at Cafaggio, and he managed
the day-to-day temporal affairs of the congregation. The Servites
received papal approval from Pope Benedict XI in 1304. Alexis was the
only founding member still alive. He died at Monte Senario on February
17, 1310, recorded as 110 years old. Alexis and his companions are
called the Seven Holy Founders. They were canonized by Pope Leo XIII in
1888.