Saint Stephen of Rieti
Feast day :13 February
Died . 590.
HE was abbot of a monastery near the walls of Rieti in Italy, and a man of admirable sanctity. Pope Saint Gregory the Great describes him as “rude of speech, but cultured of life”. Stephen devoted himself almost wholly to prayer, and was known for his concern with the spiritual lives even of those who wronged him.
who despised all things for the love of heaven. He shunned all company to employ himself wholly in prayer. So wonderful was his patience, that he looked upon them as his greatest friends and benefactors, who did him the greatest injuries, and regarded insults as his greatest gain. He lived in extreme poverty, and a privation of all the conveniences of life. His barns, with all the corn in them, the whole subsistence of his family, were burned down by wicked men. He received the news with cheerfulness, grieving only for their sin by which God was offended. In his agony angels were seen surrounding him to conduct his happy soul to bliss .
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