[Rank]
S. S. Joannis de Matha Confessoris;;Duplex;;3;;vide C5

[Rule]
vide C5;mtv
9 lectiones

[Oratio]
O God, Who by a sign from heaven didst choose thy holy servant John to be the~
founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Ransom of Prisoners held~
in the power of the Saracens, mercifully grant unto us for his sake that we may~
be delivered by thine Almighty power from all bonds and chains of sin whether in~
our bodies or in our souls.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio4]
John de la Mata, the founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the~
Ransom of Prisoners, was born at Faucon, in Provence, (upon Midsummer's Day, in~
the year 1169,) and was the child of parents equally distinguished for their~
rank and their godly life. He went for his education first to Aix and then to~
Paris. At the University of Paris, where he went through the course of Divinity~
and took the degree of Doctor, he became eminent for learning and virtue. For~
this reason the Bishop of Paris ordained him Priest, an honour from which his~
lowliness caused him to shrink, in the hope that he should induce him to remain~
at Paris, and be a bright example of wisdom and manners to the students who~
resorted thither. He offered up the Holy Sacrifice to God for the first time in~
the private Chapel of the Bishop, and in the presence of that Prelate and divers~
other persons. In the midst of the ceremony, a vision from God appeared to John.~
There appeared to him an angel, clad in raiment white and glistering; having~
sewn on his breast a cross of red and blue. His arms were crossed before him,~
and his hands were upon the heads of two slaves, one a Christian and the other a~
Moor. And immediately the man of God was in the spirit, and knew that he was~
called to the work of ransoming bondsmen from the power of the unbelievers.

[Lectio5]
That he might set himself with due forethought to the carrying out of his work,~
he withdrew into a certain desert, and there, by the will of God, he found Felix~
de Valois, who had already spent many years in that place. With him he joined~
company, and they passed three years together in continual prayer, meditation,~
and all spiritual exercises. It came to pass, one day, when they were sitting on~
the bank of a spring, that there came to them a stag having between his horns a~
cross of red and blue. Felix cried out in wonder at that sight, and John then~
told him of the vision that had appeared to him when he was saying his first~
Mass. Thenceforth they gave themselves with redoubled fervour to prayer, and,~
being three times warned in sleep, they determined to go to Rome, and pray the~
Pope to institute an Order for the ransom of prisoners. They arrived at the time~
of the election of Innocent III., who received them courteously, and entertained~
in his mind their petition. While he was in consideration, he went to the~
Lateran Cathedral, on the second Feast of St Agnes, and there, while Mass was~
being solemnly sung, at the moment of the elevation of the Sacred Host, there~
appeared to him an angel, clad in raiment white and glistering, having sewn on~
his breast a cross of red and blue, and making as though he would free~
prisoners. Thereupon the Pope founded the Order, commanding that it should be~
called the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Ransom of prisoners, and that~
they who professed in it should be clad in white raiment, having sewn on their~
breasts a cross of red and blue.

[Lectio6]
The Order being thus established, the holy Founders returned into France, and~
built their first Convent at Cerfroid, in the diocese of Meaux. Felix remained~
in charge of this house, and John went back to Rome with several companions. To~
them Innocent gave the house, Church, and hospital of St Thomas de Formis on the~
Coelian Mount, with great endowments and property. Moreover he gave them a~
letter of introduction to Miramolin, King of Morocco, and they began with bright~
hopes the work of ransoming prisoners. John next betook himself to Spain, great~
part of which was then in the hands of the Saracens, and stirred up the hearts~
of the kings, princes, and all the faithful to have pity on slaves and the poor.~
He built Convents, founded Hospitals, and ransomed many bondsmen, to the great~
gain of souls. At last he returned to Rome, still busied in good works, but worn~
out by unceasing toil, and weakened by sickness. As he drew near the end of his~
earthly pilgrimage, his burning love for God and for his neighbour suffered no~
diminution. He called together his brethren, and earnestly exhorted them to go~
on with that work of ransom which had been pointed out to them from heaven, and~
then fell asleep in the Lord, on the 21st day of December, 1213. His body was~
buried with due honour in the Church of St Thomas de Formis.

[Lectio7]
@Commune/C5:Lectio7

[Lectio8]
@Commune/C5:Lectio8

[Lectio9]
@Commune/C5:Lectio9

[Lectio94]
John of Matha was born at Faucon in Provence of devout and noble parents. When~
he was celebrating his first Mass, he understood from a vision that he was to~
devote himself to ransoming those taken captive by infidels Because of this sign~
from God, he retired into the wilderness, where he found Felix of Valois, who~
had been living in that same Place for years. Here they both devoted themselves~
most fervently to prayer. After being advised three times in dreams, they went~
to Rome and obtained the approbation of Pope lnnocent III for the new Order of~
the Most Holy Trinity for the ransoming of captives. They then built their first~
monastery in the diocese of Meaux, and Felix remained here as superior. But John~
returned to Rome with some companions, where Innocent gave them the house,~
church and hospital of St. Thomas de Forrnis on the Coelian Hill. He also gave~
them letters to present to Miramolin, king of Morocco, and thus the work of~
ransoming captives was auspiciously begun. Then John went to Spain, a great part~
of which was oppressed under the Saracen yoke. Having moved the hearts of all to~
pity the captives, he built hospitals and ransomed many Prisoners. At length, he~
returned to Rome; there, broken in health by his toils and by illness, he died~
in the Lord on December 17, 1213
&teDeum
