Deepertruth: Stand In The Gap With Us And Saint Conrad of Piacenza

Stand In The Gap With Us And Saint Conrad of Piacenza 2/19/2024

1290 – February 19, 1351) Born of a noble family in northern Italy, Conrad as a young man married Euphrosyne, daughter of a nobleman.

One day while hunting he ordered attendants to set fire to some brush in order to flush out the game. The fire spread to nearby fields and to a large forest.

He married an aristocratic young woman named Ephrosyne when he was quite young.

Though pious, he led the normal way of life for a man of his station.

One day, as he was engaged in his usual pastime of hunting within his family's domain, he ordered his attendants to set fire to some brushwood in which game had taken refuge.

The prevailing wind caused the flames to spread rapidly to the surrounding fields and forest.

A peasant who happened to be found near where the fire began was accused of starting the blaze and was imprisoned, tortured to confess, and condemned to death.

Because he ran, an innocent man was convicted for spreading the fire and was condemned to death as punishment.

Upon hearing of this, Conrad stepped forth to accept the blame, saving the innocent man's life. He paid for the damaged property and he and his wife gave everything they owned to the poor in recompense.

Conrad then left to join a group of Franciscan hermits, and his wife joined the Poor Clares.