St. Joseph of Leonessa
This saint was born in 1556 in Leonessa in Umbria, and at the age of eighteen he made his profession as a Capuchin friar in his hometown, and took the name of Joseph Eufranio instead of its name. He was humble, obedient and heroic degree mortified, and three days a week, took no other sustenance than bread and water. Generally preached a crucifix in hand, and the fire of his words inflamed the hearts of her listeners. In 1587 he was sent to Turkey as a missionary among the Christians of Pera, a suburb of Constantinople. They cheered and served the Christian slaves in the galleys with wonderful devotion, especially during a malignant fever, which became infected, but later recovered his health. Converted many apostates, and was exposed to the stringency of the Turkish law when he preached the faith to Muslims. Joseph was jailed twice, and the second time he was sentenced to a cruel death. By sharp claws which crossed one of his hands and one foot was hanging from a gallows. However, aft...