St Raymond Nonnatus, Confessor

Today, according to the traditional (1962) Roman calendar, the Church commemorates St Raymond Nonnatus, Confessor. Born in Catalonia, Spain, in the early 13th century, Raymond received the name “Nonnatus” (“not born”) because he was delivered by Caesarean section after his mother died in childbirth. He joined the newly founded Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy (the Mercedarians), which was dedicated to the ransoming of Christians enslaved by Muslim captors in northern Africa. Raymond became particularly notable for his extraordinary charity and zeal: he travelled to Algeria to ransom captives, and when his money ran out, he even offered himself in exchange for hostages, suffering imprisonment and torture for the faith. According to tradition, to prevent him from preaching or consoling fellow prisoners, his lips were padlocked—a sign of his courageous witness to Christ under extreme hardship. After being ransomed, he returned to Spain and was later named a cardinal by Pope Gregory IX, but he died soon after, reportedly about the year 1240. St Raymond’s feast has long been observed on August 31 in the traditional Roman calendar, recognizing both his heroic life and the enduring impact of the Mercedarian mission. He is especially honored as a patron of expectant mothers and of those suffering from slander or false accusations, a reflection of his own sufferings and compassion.