12 November: Saint Diego of Alcalá, Franciscan lay brother

A humble wonder-working friar

He is known above all for his humility, his charity toward the poor, and his dedication to the sick and the marginalized. Even during his lifetime he was regarded as a saint because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession. This is Saint Didacus or San Diego of Alcalá, born around 1400 in San Nicolás del Puerto, in the region of Seville, Andalusia (Spain). From a young age, he felt a strong call to a solitary life dedicated to prayer and humble labor. After entering the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), he devoted himself with humility to the simplest services within the religious community.

In 1441 he departed as a missionary to the Canary Islands, where he faced many hardships and difficulties in order to bring the Christian faith and serve others for the glory of God. In 1450 he was in Rome, where for a time he tended to plague victims, helping many of the sick through his prayer and giving rise to numerous accounts of miraculous healings.

After returning to Spain, he spent the last years of his life in Alcalá de Henares, near Madrid, where he died on 12 November 1463. In 1588 Pope Sixtus V solemnly canonized him, making him the first religious of the Order of Friars Minor to receive this honor, and proclaimed him special Patron of Franciscan friars.

An interesting detail concerns his name: “Diego” is actually a nickname corresponding to the name “James” in Spanish. His devotion spread not only in Spain but also in Latin America and the Philippines, where his cult is deeply rooted. In particular, the city of San Diego in California is named in his honor and hosts one of the Spanish missions founded in his honor.