Saint John Cantius

Saint John Cantius (Polish: Jan Kanty) (June 23, 1390 – December 24, 1473) was a renowned Polish priest, Scholastic and theologian. In English he is also known as John of Kanty or John of Kanti.

[edit] Biography

He was born in K?ty, a small town near O?wi?cim, in the diocese of Kraków, Poland, to Stanis?aw and Anna Kanty. His parents enrolled him in the Kraków Academy, where he eventually graduated as a bachelor, master, and doctor.^{[citation needed]} He was also ordained a priest.

Though he left the Academy for a time after his graduation, he soon returned as professor of Sacrae Scripturae (the Sacred Scriptures), a position he held until his death in 1473. In physics, he helped develop Jean Buridan's theory of "impetus," which anticipated the work of Galileo and Newton.

St John Cantius was noted throughout his life for his good humor and humility. He subsisted only on what was strictly necessary to sustain his life, giving away the rest of his salary to the poor.

He made four pilgrimages to Rome (on foot), and one to Jerusalem — the latter with the intent of suffering martyrdom among the Turks.

His remains were interred in the Church of St. Anne, Kraków, where the tomb became a popular pilgrimage site.

[edit] Veneration

Throughout his life, various miracles were attributed to him. John Cantius was beatified in Rome by Pope Clement X on March 28, 1676. He was named patron of Poland and Lithuania by Pope Clement XII in the year 1737.^[1] Ninety-one years after his beatification, Blessed John Cantius was canonized on July 16, 1767 by Pope Clement XIII.

St John Cantius is a popular saint in Poland. A number of churches founded by Polish diaspora communities throughout North America are named in his honor, in cities as far-ranging as Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Detroit, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Philadelphia; Buffalo, New York and New York City.

[edit] Feast Day

Saint John Cantius' feast Day is celebrated on December 23. On some local calendars and among Traditional Roman Catholics his feast day is celebrated on October 20 as "St John Cantius, Confessor."^[2]

[edit] See also

• Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius
• St. John Cantius in Chicago

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Biography from the Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius
• Novena to Saint John Cantius
• Biography at The Catholic Forum
• Patron Saints Index: Saint John Cantius

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