Saint of the Day for 26 October: St. Folco Scotti
His work of charity and compassion has left an indelible mark
Name
St. Folco Scotti
Title
Bishop
Birth
1165, Piacenza
Death
Dec. 16, 1229, Pavia
Recurrence
26 October
Martyrology
2004 edition
Prayer
O God, who hast given to thy people Saint Folco Scotti bishop, by his help make us strong and persevering in the faith, to collaborate assiduously in the unity of the Church. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.
Roman Martyrology
In Pavia, Saint Folco Scotti, bishop, man of peace, full of zeal and charity.
The Saint and Mission
St. Folco Scotti, who lived in the Middle Ages, left us a crystal-clear testimony of how mission can be lived in a profound and transformative way. His life, marked by an intense spiritual journey, was a concrete and courageous response to the divine call, transforming his every daily gesture into a missionary act. In the social and ecclesial context in which St. Folco found himself, the need for renewal and authentic witness to the Christian faith was palpable. He, by his life, fully embodied this missionary urgency, choosing to live consistently with Gospel values and to put himself at the service of his neighbor without reservation. St. Folco Scotti’s mission was not limited to the mere verbal proclamation of the Good News, but took concrete form in a constant and loving commitment to those most in need and to the Christian community entrusted to him. He understood that authentic mission comes from a heart in love with God and totally given to the service of others. His pastoral action was characterized by a strong contemplative dimension, which led him to unceasingly seek the face of God in prayer and meditation. This intimate union with the Lord was the source from which he drew the strength and light to guide his flock with wisdom and loving mercy. St. Folco Scotti’s mission was also one of peace and reconciliation. At a time marked by conflict and division, he worked tirelessly to build bridges of dialogue and understanding, witnessing with his own life that peace is possible and that it is the fruit of justice and love. St. Folco Scotti teaches us that true mission is not measured by the quantity of the works accomplished or the greatness of the results obtained, but by the quality of the love we are able to give. His life is a clear invitation to live our Christian vocation as a daily mission, made up of small gestures of love and service, certain that it is precisely through fidelity in small things that we can contribute to building the Kingdom of God. The life of St. Folco Scotti is a shining example of how mission is a call to love, a path of total self-giving for the good of others and for the glory of God. He remains for us an inspiring model, a saint who was able to transform his own existence into a living hymn to charity and mission.
The Saint and Mercy
The figure of St. Folco Scotti stands out strongly in the panorama of saints who have embodied the value of mercy in an exemplary way. Living in a distant era when society was characterized by strong tensions and inequalities, St. Folco Scotti knew how to transform his own existence into a channel of grace and mercy for those around him. Born within a noble family, he could have chosen a life of comfort and privilege. However, his spiritual experience led him to take a radically different path, choosing to devote his life to the service of those most in need and to the spiritual renewal of the Church. Mercy, for St. Folco Scotti, was not just an abstract concept or an occasional practice. It was rather a way of life, a concrete response to the needs of those who suffer and a constant commitment to foster the dignity of every person. He stripped himself of his possessions and social privileges to share the lot of the poorest, transforming his own existence into a gift of love. His approach to mercy was rooted in a deep intimacy with God and a firm belief in the inherent goodness of every human being. He saw in the faces of the suffering the very face of Christ and worked tirelessly to alleviate their pain, offering spiritual comfort and material support. His life was marked by a constant search for justice and peace, and his pastoral action was always marked by clemency and forgiveness. He did not seek revenge or the exclusion of those who erred, but rather reconciliation and the recovery of full personal dignity. St. Folco Scotti teaches us that mercy is a transformative force, capable of changing hearts and renewing societies. His spiritual legacy is a pressing invitation to live mercy authentically and radically, making our existence a space in which God’s love can manifest itself in all its saving power. He remains a shining example of how mercy can become the cornerstone of a life spent in full consistency with the Gospel, a path of holiness that still illuminates our faith journey today.
Hagiography
Three days ago, we imaginatively entered the church of San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro, in Pavia, to see the tomb of St. Boethius, buried in the crypt just below the ark of the great convert St. Augustine. On the 11th of this month, we talked about St. Alexander Sauli, a Barnabite, Bishop first in Corsica and…