Saint of the Day

May 4: Blessed Michael Giedroyc

If you enjoy this daily blog of lesser-known saints, see my book, which contains short biographies of saints for every day of the year.

Blessed Michael Giedroyc (d. 1485) was the only son of noble parents in Lithuania. He suffered all his life from poor health, dwarfism, and an accident that deprived him of the use of one of his feet. Obviously, the secular career that his parents hoped for him would be difficult or impossible.

But Michael apparently accepted all his physical limitations with peace, offering up additional mortifications on his own initiative, praying, and choosing to become an Augustinian Canon Regular. He lived in a cell next to the church as a hermit, living an extremely austere life—only eating vegetables, bread, and salt—even into his old age. But Michael’s life was full in a different way, as God blessed him with consolations in prayer, the gifts of prophecy and miracles, and even spoke to Michael from a crucifix on one occasion.

Blessed Michael, show me how to accept my physical limitations with peace.