“When God looks upon a soul with eyes of mercy and bends down to forgive it, all its faults are cast into eternal oblivion” (St. Matilda of Hackeborn).
Showing all posts dated July 12, 2026
Saint John Gualbert: Founder of the Order of Vallombrosa
What wonderful flowers grow in God’s garden! We can never admire them enough, especially when we consider the lives of the saints handed down to us. In fact, the Church boasts a great wealth of saints, and each of their lives—as well as their deaths—tells us the story of God’s love for those of His children who decided to follow His ways. However, not all of them did so from the beginning.
Such was the case with Saint John Gualbert.
Born in Florence in 985, he came from a noble family. From a young age, he was destined for military service. His father, a warrior, educated the young John in the fine arts and instilled in him an awareness of the dignity and honor of a warrior. However, there is no mention of an education in religious devotion or Christian virtue.