Behind that festive day lie interesting facts and anecdotes that reveal the greatness of this giant of charity.

During the canonical examination of the Saint’s relics for the beatification process, the ampoules containing his blood were found to be extraordinarily well preserved. One of the cloths stained with his blood was presented as a precious gift to Pope Benedict XIII, who, renowned for his personal austerity and love for the poor, received it with deep emotion and had it placed in a precious reliquary.

Pope Benedict XIII strongly wished to accelerate the beatification process. He saw in Vincent not an intellectual giant or a great statesman of the Church, but the pure embodiment of the Gospel: a man who had been a slave, a debtor, a tutor, and ultimately a refuge for thousands of the forgotten.

Among the miracles presented for the beatification there were no spectacular or sensational events, but rather the healings of humble people, such as the famous healing of Sister Mathurine Guérin, a Daughter of Charity, bearing witness that Vincent’s intercession continued to favor those who suffered in body and spirit.

Two hundred and ninety-seven years after that solemn proclamation, the legacy of Saint Vincent de Paul has not lost an ounce of its strength: true holiness is found not in great titles, but in concrete, everyday, and selfless charity.

Saint Vincent de Paul, pray for us and for all the poor of the world!