St. John of Capistrano: Franciscan Priest and Missionary

St. John of Capistrano: Franciscan priest and missionary

St. John Capistrano and St. Bernardine of Siena. Museum of Fine Arts of Granada. Painting, oil on canvas, by Alonso Cano (1653-1657) for an altarpiece of the disappeared Franciscan convent of San Antonio and San Diego, Granada. / Credit: Jl FilpoC, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons CNA Staff, Oct 23, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA). On Oct. 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the life of St. John of Capistrano, a Franciscan priest whose life included a poli…

Saint John of Capistrano

Born in 1385 in Italy, Saint John of Capistrano was the child of a previous German knight. He pursued his education in law at the University of Perugia and later on, practiced as an attorney in Naples’ legal courts. His competence and reputation caught the attention of King Ladislas of Naples, who appointed him as the governor of Perugia. Unfortunately, during a conflict with a neighboring city, he was deceived and taken prisoner. Following his …

The Fightin’ Friar of Capistrano

John of Capistrano (+1456) lived a life very much in the ‘world’ at first, studying law, and becoming involved with the political machinations of the fractious fifteenth century. He was appointed as ambassador from Perugia to the quarrelsome family of the Maletestas – which, ironically, means ‘evil heads’ – to broker peace, a mission which landed him in prison. Like his forebear, Saint Francis, this enforced time alone with his own thoughts allo…