Saint Raymund Nonnatus, Confessor (1962 Roman Calendar)

Q: When is the feast of Saint Raymund Nonnatus?

His feast is kept on 31 August in the calendar of the 1962 Roman Missal, as a Third Class feast. He is no longer on the modern universal calendar, but is still honoured on this day by the Mercedarian Order and in many places.

Saint Raymund was born about the year 1204 in Catalonia, in Spain. The surname by which he is known, Nonnatus — meaning “not born” in the ordinary way — arose from the tradition that his mother died before his birth and that he was brought into the world only by extraordinary means; and from his very entrance into life he seemed marked for a singular devotion to the Mother of God. As he grew he was drawn to a life given wholly to Christ and to works of mercy.

Redeemer of captives

Saint Raymund entered the Order of Our Lady of Ransom, the Mercedarians, recently founded by Saint Peter Nolasco for the holy purpose of ransoming Christians held in captivity. In those days many of the faithful languished in bondage, in danger of losing both their liberty and their faith, and the friars of this Order bound themselves by a special vow to give even their own persons, if need be, to set such captives free. To this work Saint Raymund devoted himself with burning charity. He journeyed to the lands where Christians were held, and there he spent the alms entrusted to him to redeem as many as he could.

When his funds were exhausted and captives still remained whose faith was in peril, Saint Raymund did not hesitate to give himself in their stead, remaining as a hostage that they might go free. During this captivity, the tradition relates, he suffered greatly for his constancy in confessing and preaching the faith, and bore his sufferings with heroic patience for the love of Christ. The collect of his feast recalls that God made blessed Raymund wonderful in delivering the faithful from the captivity of the unbelievers.

Cardinal and confessor

Ransomed at length and returned to his own country, Saint Raymund was esteemed throughout the Church for his charity and his sufferings, and was raised by the Pope to the dignity of cardinal. Yet he remained humble and unchanged, continuing in the simplicity of his religious life. He died about the year 1240, while still a young man, and his memory was held in honour, especially among those who laboured for the freedom of captives.

His feast is kept on the thirty-first of August. In Saint Raymund Nonnatus the Church honours the heroic charity that counts no cost too great for the salvation of a brother — charity that gives away not only its goods but its very liberty for the deliverance of others. He is venerated as a patron of those in difficult circumstances, and is invoked by the faithful in many of their needs.

The Collect

O God, who didst make blessed Raymund Thy Confessor wonderful in delivering Thy faithful from the captivity of the unbelievers: grant us, by his intercession, that, being loosed from the bonds of our sins, we may freely accomplish those things that are pleasing to Thee.

Deus, qui in liberándis fidélibus tuis ab impiórum captivitáte beátum Raymúndum Confessórem tuum mirábilem effecísti: eius nobis intercessióne concéde; ut, a peccatórum vínculis absolúti, quæ tibi sunt plácita, líberis méntibus exsequámur.

Patronage

He is venerated as a patron of those in captivity or unjustly imprisoned, of expectant mothers and newborn children, and of those who labour for the deliverance of others.

In the Modern Calendar

In the modern calendar he is no longer kept on the universal calendar, though he continues to be honoured by the Mercedarian Order and in many local calendars on 31 August.

Common Questions

When is the feast of Saint Raymund Nonnatus?

His feast is kept on 31 August in the calendar of the 1962 Roman Missal, as a Third Class feast. He is no longer on the modern universal calendar, but is still honoured on this day by the Mercedarian Order and in many places.

Who was Saint Raymund Nonnatus?

He was a thirteenth-century Catalan member of the Order of Our Lady of Ransom (the Mercedarians), who devoted himself to redeeming Christian captives and even gave himself as a hostage to set others free. He was later made a cardinal and died about 1240.

Why is he called ‘Nonnatus’?

The name Nonnatus means “not born” in the usual way. It reflects the tradition that his mother died before his birth and that he was delivered by extraordinary means. For this reason he is invoked as a patron of expectant mothers and of the newly born.

See where this feast falls in the Church’s year on the liturgical calendar, or find a Traditional Latin Mass near you.

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