Saint Celestine

May 19 – St Celestine –

When the father of this Italian saint died, his good mother brought up her twelve children well, even though they were very poor. “Oh, if I could only have the joy of seeing one of you become a saint!” she use to say. Once when she asked as usual, “which one of you is going to become a saint?” little Peter (who was to become Pope Celestine) answered with all his heart, “Me, mama! I’ll become a saint!” And he did. Pope Saint Celestine V (1215 – 19 May 1296), born Pietro Angelerio, was elected Pope in the year 1294 in the last non-conclave papal election in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. He is notable for having abdicated the papacy. Despite his brief papacy, Celestine V is recognized by the Church as a saint. No subsequent pope has taken the name Celestine.