Saint Bonaventure

Wonders

Miracles

Saint Bonaventure recounts in his book "Life of Saint Francis" a miracle that occurred in Bagnoregio, his hometown. A five-year-old boy had fallen from a window and broken his neck, dying instantly. His parents, desperate, took their son's body to the church where St. Francis, who had come to preach, was. The saint hugged the child and lifted him high, invoking the name of Jesus. At that point, the child opened his eyes and started laughing, as if nothing had happened. All those present were amazed and glorified God for the miracle performed through the intercession of Saint Francis.

Among his most famous works is the liberation of a possessed man he met during his trip to France. The man was tormented by an evil spirit that made him scream and writhe frighteningly. Saint Bonaventure approached him gently and placed his hands on his head, praying fervently. At that gesture, the demon left the body of the possessed man with a terrible cry and disappeared into the air. The possessed man immediately calmed down and thanked the saint for freeing him from that slavery.

It is said of a miracle performed by Saint Bonaventure which occurred in 1264. According to tradition, Saint Bonaventure was in a convent in France, where the friars were in great poverty and did not have enough food to feed everyone present. The saint then prayed with faith and invoked the intercession of Saint Francis. Soon after, a noise was heard coming from the kitchen, where it was discovered that the bread and wine had multiplied enough for everyone. Michele De Chiel was hit on the left side by the kick of a horse and suffered, as a result, from serious ailments, to the point that it was difficult for him to breathe, it was impossible not only to ride but to dedicate himself to any work.

For about three months he remained in such conditions, experimenting with various treatments in vain. One day, in the church of the Minors, he heard a friar preacher extolling Bonaventure's merits and recalling the numerous healings obtained by sick people through his intercession. Driven by a feeling of devotion, he vowed to bring a wax gift, weighing up to one pound, to Bonaventure's tomb if he achieved recovery. He immediately began to feel better, quickly achieved recovery and therefore fulfilled the promise he had made.

Giovanni Garbotj, royal notary and secretary of the city of Lyon, aged 50: his wife was struck by a serious illness that doctors were unable to diagnose. Driven by the devotion he had already had for Bonaventure for some time, he went to the saint's tomb, prayed devoutly and made an offering. When he returned home he was able to see that his wife was already better and in a short time she completely recovered.

Francesco Massodj, royal notary of Lyon, aged 40, his son Umberto, aged 13, was struck by an attack of gout which prevented him from walking, at the suggestion of a devout lady, he made a vow for his son at the tomb of Bonaventura and began a novena. On the last day of the novena Umberto wanted, with the help of his father, to go to the tomb. After listening to the Holy Mass he was healed.

Giovanni De Solier, a blacksmith, poor, aged 60, was suffering from a disease in his left tibia, with evident symptoms of gangrene, tormented by constant pain and consequently unable to work, sleep or have peace, he asked that the leg if it were amputated, it was certain that he would never recover. He had already been in bed suffering for four months, when it occurred to him to consecrate himself to Blessed Bonaventure, invoking healing through his intercession. The pain immediately disappeared, and he was healed.

Giovanni Adnisse, hatter, aged 43, his 15-year-old son, was struck by a serious illness which prevented him from walking and carrying out any work. The doctors despaired of being able to cure him. Giovanni then recommended his son to Blessed Bonaventure, starting a novena. On the sixth day the patient began to improve and at the end of the novena he was completely healed.

Guitto De Bleternay, weaver, aged 36: he was struck by the onset of paralysis, and resorted in vain to the help of doctors and medicines. Finally I begged Bonaventura to be freed from his infirmity. For three consecutive days he visited the tomb, bringing offerings of candles. Within the following eight days he found himself completely healed and had no further attacks of the disease that had afflicted him.

Margherita, wife of Benedetto Garini, her son had a hernia operation. His condition immediately appeared alarming and he despaired of being able to save him from death. Then Margherita devotedly recommended herself to the Blessed, starting a novena. The day the novena was finished, the woman returned home and found her son completely healed.

Caterina De Baulme, widow of Pietro Pouchonis, fell into a serious illness and she no longer hoped to escape death. She prayed devoutly with her servants to Bonaventure for her, Little by little, even the pains that accompanied her infirmity came to cease and she, in the space of two months, was completely healed.

Marco De Ferraris, a medical doctor, was treating Mr. De Buizellis who was suffering from continuous and pestilential fevers, and had no hope of being able to cure him with the means available to medicine, and was certain that he would die during the night. The sick man, at the suggestion of his confessor, recommended himself to Blessed Bonaventura through his wife and daughters. And the sick man miraculously obtained healing. Perreneta, wife of Lorenzo Jacopo Numerii, aged 36: her daughter, aged five, fell into a serious illness which reduced her to such conditions that they had lost all hope of saving her from death. Her father recommended her to Blessed Bonaventura, and the following morning she went to the church of the Minors to continue her prayers. When he returned home he found her daughter out of danger, so much so that on the same day she began to walk, she was healed.

Simona, widow of the deceased Giovanni Regenij, aged 35: she was struck by paralysis and was relegated to bed without being able to move. Giovanni, her husband's servant, moved with pity by her state, consecrated her to the Blessed Bonaventura, making a novena for her, after which Simona was healed. Giovanni Turrel learned from Jaqueta De Pomo, his teacher, that he had contracted leprosy. After six months of suffering, the unfortunate woman, having learned that many people had obtained graces from Bonaventure, resorted to her intercession and recommended herself with great fervor to the Blessed. As she herself said, she immediately felt that she had been completely healed.

Iacotino Davillier, aged 60, was attacked by persistent fevers and fell into such a state of infirmity that, for five or six days, he could not eat, drink or sleep. Finally he recommended himself to Blessed Bonaventura, whose body is kept in the church of the Minors, devoutly reciting the finished prayers which he noted with great amazement that he was completely healed.

Pietro De Panie of the city of Lyon, aged 35: he learned from the friars of the convent of the Minors that one of their brothers, a Norman by nation, who resided in their convent, having been attacked by fevers, immediately regained his health after fervently recommending himself to Blessed Bonaventure. Giovannetta, widow of the deceased Jacopo Botaut, one day felt ill at night, her eyebrows fell out and other signs appeared on her face and body, and she suspected that she had been affected by leprosy and asked her husband to take her to the leper colony. to be hospitalized. Terrified by the thought of her, her husband advised her to ask Blessed Bonaventura for healing. Giovannetta recommended it with devotion, she visited his tomb and made a novena. Immediately her improvement worsened, all signs of the disease disappeared, and she was completely healed.

Margherita, wife of Giovanni De Bauls, aged 22: she fell into a serious illness, which reduced her to a state of exhaustion and forced her to stay in bed for five weeks. She devoutly recommended herself to Blessed Bonaventura and having him accompany her, with the help of two crutches, she dragged herself with great difficulty to the church of the Minori. She prayed intensely to Bonaventura for her recovery, suddenly she immediately felt better than herself, she managed to stand up on her own and with great joy she saw that she had been completely healed. She left her crutches at her tomb and went home with her mother.

Paolo De Sala, bachelor of medicine, 40 years old: fell ill with pneumonia and it got so bad that he called a priest and wanted to receive the holy sacraments, fearing he would die, he recommended himself to Blessed Bonaventura and made a novena. Once the novena was completed he was healed. Brother Umberto De Costa, of the Carmelite Order, professor of sacred theology, aged 65: he was told by Mr. Bertrando that a neighbor of his, having been struck by fevers and finding no remedy for her illness, recommended to Bonaventura and immediately recovered.

Nicola Pavis, doctor of medicine, aged 38: he heard that the Queen of France and St. Thomas Aquinas once saw Bonaventure raised from the ground, while he was in contemplation at the foot of the Crucifix.