23rd October - John of Capistran was born on 24th June 1386 in the Kingdom of Naples, more precisely in Capestrano, a town in the province of L'Aquila. His father came to Italy as a member of the court of King Louis I of Naples. He studied at the University of Perugia and married some time later without consummating his marriage.
His first aim was to become a lawyer, which he became in 1412 at the age of 26. He taught at the same University of Perugia, of which he was governor, obeying Ladislaus I of Naples. However, the city was the object of a power struggle between the Rimini family and the army of Sigismund Malatesta. He was taken prisoner and reflected on life, coming to the conclusion that money was not important and decided to dedicate his life to the search for holiness by entering the Franciscan order in 1416, after his widowhood. The following year he was ordained priest and became vicar general.
He then began to preach the Gospels in Europe, first in Germany, then in Austria, Hungary and Poland. Teaching in public squares, where many people came to listen to him, he very quickly earned the nickname of "holy preacher", where he fought against witchcraft. In addition to his preaching ministry, he served as personal adviser and envoy (ambassador) to Popes Martin V, Eugene IV and Nicholas V and Calixtus III, being known for his prudent diplomatic decisions.
After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by the Turks, Mehmed II prepared the invasion of Hungary. Pope Calixtus III preached the Crusade in Frankfurt in 1454 to defend himself against the invasion. John of Capistran responded and began to recruit Christians from Hungary. John of Capistran urged the deliverance of the city with a flag decorated with a cross. His charisma enabled him to contribute to the defeat of the Turks. Representatives of the Christian army said of him that "this father has more authority over the soldiers than their heads of state". After the victory over the Turks, Belgrade had to face the plague, and Jean de Capistran died a few months later of this terrible illness, on 23 October 1456, at the age of 70. In 1984, John Paul II proclaimed him patron saint of military chaplains.
