{"id":9261,"date":"2026-02-16T09:12:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T08:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/predication.net\/?p=9261"},"modified":"2026-02-16T09:12:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T08:12:17","slug":"st-alexius-and-companions-seven-founders-of-the-servite-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/predication.net\/?p=9261","title":{"rendered":"St. Alexius and companions\u2014seven founders of the Servite Order."},"content":{"rendered":"

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Founders of the 7th Order of the Servants of Mary: Alexius, Bartholomew, Benedictus, Bonfilius, Gerardinus, John, Ricoverus<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Seven esteemed Florentines lived in poverty and penance on Monte Senario, striving to live holy lives and to help others on the path to holiness. They founded an order dedicated to Marian devotion called the “Servants of Mary” or “Servites.” Except for Alexei, who wanted to remain a mere religious brother, all were ordained priests. The order is now spread throughout almost all of Europe, as well as in South Africa, Australia, and America.<\/span><\/p>\n

CV FOR MEDITATION<\/span><\/p>\n

TO JESUS \u200b\u200bWITH THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE SEVEN-SORROWED PM<\/span><\/h2>\n

Seven wealthy townspeople and merchants, Andonieri, Bartholomew, Benedict, Bonfilius Monaldi, Gerardin, John, and Rikover\u2014sang praises to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the streets of Florence. On the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on 15 August 1233, they gathered in a church, where they received an inner address, calling them to a perfect life together. On that day, the Queen of Heaven appeared to them, dressed in mourning for the old grudge that had reigned between them.<\/span><\/h2>\n

They agreed to distribute their property to the poor and together they would go into seclusion to live a hermit’s life, meditating on the Passion of the Lord Jesus and the pains of his Mother. They went to Bishop Arding, who approved their intention, and then left the city. They settled permanently on the deserted hill of Monte Senario (north of Florence) and from there they would go to a chapel dedicated to the Mother of God with a gracious image of the Annunciation. The chapel was their point of support and main place of prayer.<\/span><\/h2>\n

At first they lived in a free community, but soon, on the instructions of the bishop, they founded a new order for which they adopted the rule of St. Augustine. They put on black monastic robes with a scapular and, apart from Alexei, were ordained priests after the novitiate. Alexei longed for the most ordinary service, so out of humility, he remained only a lay religious brother. Pope Alexander IV. confirmed their order, called Servants of the Virgin Mary\u2014Servites. The significance of the order’s founding stands out against the backdrop of a time when fratricidal strife was common in Italy. Bonfilius Monaldi became the first superior.<\/span><\/h2>\n

In 1253, Philip Benizi joined the order, and after 14 years, he was elected superior general and contributed greatly to the flourishing of the order. Alexei reached the age of 110, and at his death, the order already had 10,000 members.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Today’s memorial was established by Pope Leo XIII, who canonized all seven founders of the Servites in 1888.<\/span><\/h2>\n

RESOLUTION, PRAYER<\/span><\/p>\n

I will reflect for a moment on the sorrows of the Virgin Mary, for which she came to be called the co-redemptrix.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Fill us, O God, with the sincere piety with which the holy brothers, whose memory we celebrate, devoutly worshipped the Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, and brought human souls to worship You. Through Christ our Lord. co-redemptive<\/span><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Founders of the 7th Order of the Servants of Mary: Alexius, Bartholomew, Benedictus, Bonfilius, Gerardinus, John, Ricoverus Seven esteemed Florentines lived in poverty and penance on Monte Senario, striving to live holy lives and to help others on the path … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9261","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nezaradene"],"yoast_head":"\nSt. Alexius and companions\u2014seven founders of the Servite Order. - predication.net<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/predication.net\/?p=9261\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"St. Alexius and companions\u2014seven founders of the Servite Order. - 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