The greatest miracle

It is impossible to find a miracle considered to be the greatest of Saint Egidio in the books of the canonical trials. In fact, there are many very important miracles that would fill many books. It is possible however to say that in his humility, he was the greatest miracle.

Humility

Monk Egidio was considered a Saint, but he believed himself to be the least of men. He always said: "Why do you call me a Saint? Saints are in the Church: I am a miserable sinner. Go to Church and ask Jesus and the Holy Mother Mary. This is the testimony of monk Michele of S. Vincenzo, brother and contemporary of Saint Egidio (pag. 128, par. 23 canonical trials). If someone asked him to perform a miracle, he would say: "I am like you. Ask Jesus Christ." When, a crowd ran after him on the road and cut a piece of his clothing for devotion, he asked: "What do you want to do with this piece of cloth you have cut? Can you clean shoes with it?” His superior often reprimanded Monk Egidio because his brothers had to repair his clothing. He answered them: "What can I do about them? I don't know what they want of this poor old man." He did not consider himself of any importance.

Simplicity

Saint Egidio had another great virtue - it was simplicity, which accompanied him throughout his life. When he was child his caretaker told him to remain kneeling by the sea in case a fish came out of the sea and landed in front of him. Often his brothers in the convent invented some tale to tease him and Monk Egidio believed that the tales were true. His simplicity was the simplicity of the Saints without deception and without question. People who don't have the spirit of God believe that simplicity cannot exist together with intelligence but this is not so with God.

Mortification

The monk Egidio was a disciple and imitator of a great Saint. The name of this saint was St. Peter of Alcantara. St. Peter practiced the penitential disciplines as well as the monk Egidio. With reference to the penitence, it is useful to read what was reported in the canonical trials to on pag. 122, par. 45.
- His bed was made of a wood? table, a skin of sheep as a blanket? and a stone for a pillow. On one side of the bed he had two whips. One was made of small ropes and the other of iron. These tools of penitence are still on exhibition together with the object what object? revered in the small room of Saint Egidio. Someone asked to the Monk why he had those small whips. He said: "Weapons have to be proportionate to the enemies that try to attack us. When the enemy attacks in a weak manner, I send him away with the whip made of ropes. When he attacks with violence and strength, then for him I make ready the iron armour."
Very important was the mortification of the throat. A Saint said that God's love doesn't enter the souls if the stomach is full. Therefore Saint Egidio ate little. He received from the convent some food every day. Then he divided the food in two parts. one part was for himself and the other part was for the poor. He slept little because he spent the greatest part of the night in the Church. There he kept watch with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and he talked to Our Lady of the Well in the choir of the Chapel of the SS. Virgo Holy Virgins?.
He was attracted to the practice of mortification. In fact, he also refused the remedies that the doctor gave to him during his last illness.

Charity

Holiness is not possible if there is not charity. It is not possible to perform miracles without charity. The charity of Monk Egidio led in two directions. To the heavens for God, Jesus in Sacrament and, among all the saints, the Queen of all the saints: the Virgin Mary, Mother of God. On earth his charity was directed to: the poor, the afflicted, and the sick.

Aloft

He loved God with his whole mind, gladly, and with all his strengths. For this love he left the world and he embraced the hard Franciscan Rule. He respected the Franciscan rule with fidelity and perseverance. His fasts were very hard. He slept little, he took on the heaviest jobs; his hours of prayer were prolonged but he never tired of doing this during his 58 years of religious life. When illnesses and old age physically weakened him, he still had the strength to refuse the medicine and good food.
His most joyful time were the hours he passed in adoration at night in front of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. In front of the altar he found the strength he gave to his students or followers?. He found his strength and his heaven on earth in the adoration of the Eucharist.
When he was a child, the Eucharist was brought to the sick in their homes. When the priest passed along the roads with the Eucharist, a little bell was rung. The small Egidio was the first one who raced towards the Eucharist in order to accompany it. He would even at night leave his bed to accompany Jesus. And Jesus gifted him, Egidio, with the mystical outpouring of his divinelove. The Mysteries of the life of Jesus became the objects of his daily reflections: Bethlehem Calvary, the Cenacle the Upper Room.
He had a tender devotion for the Child Jesus. In his little room, in a small locker, he had put an attractive manger that he made with his own hands. In the canonical trials to on pag. 33, Father Francis Maria of the SS. Savior said: he invited the whole Community into his room to sing little sacred songs. In those circumstances the Monk would weep from deep emotion.
He was devoted to the Passion of Jesus Christ. He meditated on the passion with tears and pain.
He was very devoted in following the liturgy of the Church. He organized the feasts of the Church. He handled everything: candles, decorations, music. He also performed miracles as it happened once during the feast of S. Pasquale.

Multiplication of the meals

(Celebration of St. Pasquale miracle)

Mr. Parisi who was the music teacher of the Chapel reported this episode. During the celebration of St. Pasquale there were many guests at the Convent including two hundred musicians of the formal orchestra, the Community of monks and other invited benefactors. The meat that the cook had prepared was not enough. The unhappy cook informed Monk Egidio, scolding him for inviting so many people. Monk Egidio was not troubled, but invited the cook to place his trust in Divine Providence and urged him to look again in the pot. However, the cook shook the pot insisting that it was empty. The Monk took the cook’s fork and said: "Now I will show you that there is meat." At that moment, Monk Egidio began taking meat from the pot. There was enough meat for all the guests.

Devotion to Our Lady

Holiness cannot exist without devotion to Our Lady. It is a mystical law: no one can ascend the mountain of perfection without love of the Madonna. Monk Egidio was devoted to the Virgin. As her beloved child, he called her: "Mommy!”
He belonged to the Brotherhood of the Rosary and never forgot to offer the daily Rosary to Our Lady. His devotion increased when he was consecrated to God in the Franciscan order. Whenever he left the Convent or returned, he immediately greeted the Madonna, saying an ejaculatory prayer. He wanted an image of the Virgin in his small room and found a picture of the Madonna of the Well, to whom he was devoted. He was the principal propagator of the devotion to the Madonna of the Well in the city of Naples with a special celebration on last Sunday of the month.
He always put four candles in front of the Blessed Virgin's image. When the candles were almost out he asked for her help, saying: "The wax is now melted. Please, take care of it, otherwise you will remain without candles." It is said that the candles never went out.
He was also devoted to Joseph and invited all believers to seek his intercession because he is the patron saint of a happy death. He honoured St. Joseph with actions of compassion, with ejaculatory prayers and with individual prayers. Because of his devotion to St. Joseph, he added Joseph to his name (Egidio Maria Joseph).
He was also devoted to St. Francis, to St. Pietro of Alcantara and St. Pasquale.

Love and Compassion

He was full of love and compassion toward all men, especially the poor. His works, his words, and his thoughts were full of compassion. Everywhere he went he brought his love and compassion, on the roads, in the squares and in the humble and rich houses in Naples. Many districts as Toledo, Capodimonte, S. Lucia, Via Porto, Mergellina, S. Brigida, Rua Catalana, Square of the Charity, Terraces of Chiaia, Via Bisognano, Vico Freddo, Coast of Chiaia etc., still remember Monk Egidio's smile of compassion, founded upon God's love, unconditional Love without limits of age, conditions or space.
He also had love for the Brothers who benefited from his counsel, his intercessions to God and his miracles.
He had compassion for the priests and the good people he guided toward Christian perfection.
He had love and compassion for the patients who were cured by his miracles. For all he was a consoling Angel. For everyone he spoke words of comfort and holiness. He always had a smile, a gift, a favour, a miracle - "Omnibus omnia cactus". Everything to everybody. Because of this he became a Saint in the city of Naples.