Alvarez was born in either Lisbon, Portugal, or Cordova, Spain. He entered the Dominican
convent at
Cordova in 1368. He became known for his preaching prowess in
Spain and Italy, was
confessor and adviser of Queen Catherine,
John of Gaunt's daughter, and tutor of King
John II in his youth. He reformed the court, and then left the court to found a monastery near Cordova. There the Escalaceli (ladder of heaven) that he built became a center of religious devotion. He successfully led the opposition to
antipope Benedict XII (Peter de Luna), and by the
time of his death was famous all over
Spain for his teaching, preaching, asceticism, and holiness. His cult was confirmed in 1741.
They need to get on with it and fully canonize him It's been over 275 years!
ReplyDelete