St. Didacus is also known as Diego, and is the saint that the California city is named after. He was born in Spain at the beginning of the 15th century and, even as a child, loved solitude and had insight into the faith. While still young, he decided to live as a hermit and spent several years fasting and praying and working.

Seeking perfection, he was inspired to join the Franciscan order, and after becoming a member of a monastery, he tried to make himself the servant of everyone. He found ways to feed the poor who visited, giving them even his bread for the day. He had very little education, but many sought him out for his wisdom.

He went with thousands of other Franciscans to Rome to celebrate a great feast there. While there, many of his brothers got very sick as an epidemic broke out and Didacus worked tirelessly to care for them. Despite shortages of everything in Rome, he always had ample provisions for them. He miraculously restored many to health simply by making the sign of the cross over them.

He died of illness himself many years later, but because it was winter, several months passed before he could be buried. The faithful visited his body to honor him, and not only did his body remain incorrupt, it gave a pleasant fragrance.

The Franciscan mission that was founded in present day San Diego was named for St. Didacus, and he is patron of the San Diego diocese. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.

St. Didacus, you embraced poverty as a way to serve everyone—pray for us!

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Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Didacus in the public domain. Last accessed October 10, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.