St.Fidelis of Sigmaringen

CURRICULUM VITAE

He came from Sigmaringen in Swabia, which is now part of Germany. Studying law in Freiburg under the name Marek Roy, he then practiced law. In 1612, he became a priest and took the name Fidel when he joined the Capuchin order. Representing the newly formed Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, he combatted the heresies spreading in southern Germany and Switzerland. He was eventually arrested and murdered by heretics because he refused to renounce the Catholic faith.

THE LOYALTY OF THE ADVOCATE OF THE POOR

He was born in early October 1578 in Sigmaringen on the Danube in southwest Germany. He was given the Christian name Mark. He had four siblings. His father, Jan Roy, was a mayor and judge, but apparently died when Marek was still young. His mother’s name was Jenovéfa, and she is said to have cared for the orphans with a guardian.

Mark, as the most gifted, was sent to Freiburg, where in 1601 he obtained a doctorate in philosophy. He then continued his studies of civil and ecclesiastical law, which he interrupted in 1604 and traveled with young German nobles through France, Spain, and Italy as their leader until about 1610. After returning, he completed his studies with a doctorate on May 16, 1611, and then served as a lawyer and court councilor in Ensisheimcombatedlsace. Unlike his colleagues, he uncompromisingly defended the rights of those who needed it, he stood up for the poor in the first place and was therefore called the lawyer of the poor. Once his fellow lawyer said to him, “Doctor, I beg you not to be too fair. Just deviate a little from your principles, and you will make a great profit from it.” Perhaps this was the last straw that caused a change of profession—embarking on a spiritual path.

He decided to enter the Capuchin order, but first, in the quadrant, he longed for priestly ordination. He had completed some of his studies earlier, completed the rest, and became a priest at the end of September 1612. A few days later, on October 4, he entered the Capuchin novitiate in Freiburg, Germany. There, with the religious habit, he also received the new name Fidel (Latin Fidelis), expressing fidelity to the faith, and on that occasion the quadrian reminded him of the words from the Book of Revelation: “Be faithful until death, and I will bestow upon you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). And those words became his motto.

After the novitiate, which ended in 1613, he received further theological education in Constance and Frauenfeld. In 1617, he preached in Altsdorf and then for about five years held the position of quadrian, superior in several Capuchin monasteries. He also raised the moral level of the faithful with his sermons. He was a sought-after confessor, counselor, and if necessary, even in his habit, he went to court to help the poor enforce their rights. He himself led a very simple life with frequent fasts and other self-denials. He lived faithfully to the Virgin Mary, because walking with her meant for him also the path of faithfulness to Christ, to whom she directs everyone. Spirituality on his spiritual life were published in print under the title Spiritual Exercises (Exercitia spirituality). In later editions, the title was changed to spirituality of Seraphim Piety.

In addition to Alsace, Fidel also worked in Switzerland and Vorarlberg. From the end of 1621 on, he worked in the Rhaetian mission, whose task was to prevent the spread of Calvinism and strengthen the Catholic faith in eastern Switzerland. The Roman commission (later congregation) for the propagation of the faith appointed him superior of the mission on 19 April 1622. However, this appointment was towards the end of his life. He signed his text as Brother Fidelis, soon to be buried.

His last assignment was in Seewies at a time when religious hostility, especially among the Calvinists, fueled by political disputes, often led to bloody riots. Fidelis was therefore offered an armed escort for his missionary journey to Seewies, which he refused. His brother John then asked him what they would do if they were attacked. He replied, “What else but martyrs of God? We would gladly undergo death for God.” In his sermon, he then emphasized and explained the words: “One God, one faith, one baptism.” At that, one of the Calvinists began to shoot at him. Fidelis was not hit and quickly went outside because he did not want the murderer to desecrate the church. He walked towards the neighboring village but was stopped by the Calvinists, who wanted him to convert to their faith. He replied to them, “Dear brothers, I have not come to you to accept a distorted faith but to preach to you the true faith.” After these words, they attacked him with swords and a spiked club and murdered him.

He became the first martyr of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. He was declared a saint by Benedict XIV in 1746.