Blessed Ramon Llull

Life story

Ramon Llull was born in Palma de Mallorca around 1232 or 1233, into a family of Barcelona patricians who had come with the army of James I that conquered the island. In 1263 he reported a series of visions of Christ on the Cross; afterwards he gave up his courtly, troubadour-style life, went on pilgrimages and committed himself to converting Muslims and writing against unbelief. He remained a layman; there is no evidence that he joined a religious order.

The main work of his life was the Art (Ars), a combinatorial system of universal logic meant to demonstrate Christian doctrine to people of any faith. He said it was revealed to him in 1274 at Puig de Randa, and it developed over decades. He founded a hermitage at Miramar in 1270, and in 1276 a language school for Franciscan missionaries was established there, funded by the king of Majorca.

He travelled to Tunis around 1291, and again around 1304 and in 1314. In 1311 the Council of Vienne ordered chairs of Hebrew, Arabic and Chaldean at several universities. He wrote in Catalan and Latin, and works include Blanquerna and the Book of the Gentile and the Three Wise Men.

He was stoned by a mob in 1315 at Bougie or Tunis and died in early 1316, either at sea or shortly after reaching Majorca; whether he died of the stoning is disputed. His tomb (1448) is in the Franciscan church in Palma. Pope Pius IX beatified him on 11 September 1847; his feast is 30 June.

Works and witness

• Converted in 1263 and devoted his life to writing and mission
• Founded the Miramar hermitage in 1270; the language school there dates from 1276
• Developed the system known as the Ars
• Travelled to Tunis around 1291, 1304 and 1314
• Beatified on 11 September 1847

Saints from the same country

Saint Dominic, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Saint Francis Xavier

References

• Ramon Llull, Book of the Gentile and the Three Wise Men and Blanquerna
• Beatification of Ramon Llull, Pius IX, 1847
• Franciscan church in Palma de Mallorca (tomb of Ramon Llull), historical notes

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.