1430-1493
A brief biography.
Augustine Fanci was born in 1430 in a wealthy, noble family in Biella, Italy. He joined the Dominicans young, and entered the priory in Biella. He was noted for his severe self-imposed penances, and his complete self-control. Prior of convents in Biella, Soncino in 1464, Vercelli, and Vigevano. Miracle worker, whose incidents include: a deformed child, who died without baptism, was restored to life by Augustine's prayer long enough to be baptized.
Augustine met a little boy who was crying because he had broken a jug of wine. Augustine gathered up the shards and put them back together again, and prayed over it; it refilled with wine.
Through his intercession, a woman was delivered from possession of five devils.
Augustine spent his final ten years (1483-1493) in the Dominican priory Sts. John and Paul (twins-Zanipolo) in Venice.
He died on 22 July 1493, feast of Saint Mary Magdalen, at Venice, and was buried in or out the church. In 1533, on the occasion of some repairs to the church, workmen found his coffin floating in the water that had seeped into the burial chamber - when opened, Augustine's body and clothing were found to be incorrupt. This fact did much to promote interest in his cause. Nevertheless, it was more than three centuries before his cultus was confirmed n 1872. Augustine was beatified in 1878.
Sources: Sister Jean Dorcy, O.P.: St. Dominic's Family, Washington, Rockfort 1983 (2)
Angelo M. Caccin, O.P.: Die Basilika St. Johannes und Paul in Venedig (1965).
Internet: Patron Saints.
Philately
Dominican church of St. John and St. Paul (Zanipolo)
in Vencie. In this church the tomb of the blessed Augustine Fangi.
Burundi 1971, Mi 822, Sc CB24.
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