Saint Salvador of Horta

Life story

Salvador was born in 1520 at Santa Coloma de Farners near Girona, to poor parents who were servants. Orphaned at fourteen, he moved to Barcelona with his sister and worked as a shoemaker. He tried monastic life at Montserrat, then in 1541 entered the Observant Franciscans at Barcelona as a lay brother, making his vows in 1542. In the friaries he worked as cook and porter and, at Tortosa, as the community's official beggar.

His superiors moved him often, apparently to avoid publicity; in 1547 he went to Horta de Sant Joan, where he served as cook for twelve years. He was said to heal the sick with the sign of the cross, and crowds of the sick followed him; one estimate says about two thousand people a week came to see him at Horta. He urged visitors to examine their consciences, go to confession and receive Communion worthily. Crowds sometimes tore pieces from his habit as relics. He was denounced to the Spanish Inquisition over the miracles attributed to him, but no action was taken.

Around 1565 he was assigned to Cagliari on Sardinia as cook, and he died there on 18 March 1567. He was beatified by Paul V in 1606 at the urging of King Philip III and canonised by Pius XI in 1938. His remains are venerated in the church of St Rosalia in Cagliari. His feast is 18 March.

Works and witness

• Worked as a shoemaker in Barcelona before joining the Observant Franciscans in 1541
• Served as cook, porter and beggar for friaries
• At Horta de Sant Joan from 1547 for about twelve years, where crowds of the sick sought him
• Denounced to the Inquisition, with no action taken
• Died at Cagliari on 18 March 1567; canonised in 1938

Saints from the same country

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

References

• Franciscan Media, 'Saint Salvator of Horta' (franciscanmedia.org)
• Franciscan Tradition, 'Saint Salvador of Horta, Franciscan healer' (franciscantradition.org)

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