Luca Antonio Falcone
Luca Antonio Falcone (19 October 1669 – 30 October 1739) – in religious life Angelo – was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and a professed member of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in Cosenza. Falcone had a rough call to religious life after several entries and exits into the order and he later served as a noted preacher across southern Italian cities such as Catanzaro and Salerno after his first few sermons attracted little following. He became titled as both the "Angel of Peace" and the "Apostle of the South".
Falcone became known for ecstasies during the celebration of Mass and was known for converting the hearts of thousands when he went about preaching. The friar possessed the gifts of visions and bilocation and was invited to start preaching in the Neapolitan region at the behest of Cardinal Francesco Pignatelli.
He received beatification from Pope Leo XII on 18 December 1825 after being titled as a Servant of God in 1778 under Pope Pius VI and Venerable under Pope Pius VII on 17 June 1821. He is a patron of Acri and of missionaries. Pope Francis approved his canonization and it was determined at a gathering of cardinals on 20 April 2017 that Falcone would be named as a saint; the canonization was celebrated in Saint Peter's Square on 15 October 2017.
Patron saint of Acri; Missionary; Missionaries
In the Martyrology
- October 30 Saint Angelo d’Acri Falcone, Capuchin priest