SAN FRANCISCO DE SALES, PATRON SAINT OF JOURNALISTS AND COMMUNICATORS

Today, 24 January, the Church remembers San Francisco de Sales, patron saint of Catholic journalists and writers, and from this online portal we salute all communicators that work faithfully in the service of truth and information.

In his memory, we spotlight the sculpture “San Francisco de Sales” by Ricardo Bellver in the Puerta de la Asunción at Seville Cathedral, specifically his upper body, with a book in one hand and a spear in the other. This sculpture, as with all the sculptural decoration in that area was created from cement, in this case in 1999. He is shown as bald and bearded, wearing a robe and without a mitre, although he was a Bishop.

About the life of San Francisco de Sales

This modern-day saint, born in 1567 in the duchy of Saboya, today between France and Italy, and died in 1622 in Lyon. He received recognition as a patron saint of journalists and writers by Pope Pius XI in 1923. San Francisco de Sales stood out for his great skill in communication through writing.

From his ordination as a Bishop in Geneva, San Francisco de Sales complete an intense literary endeavor which began with his evangelical mission to Chablais, in which he wrote pamphlets that were distributed to the population by way of daily flyers. His most notable works are ‘Defensa del estandarte de la Cruz’, ‘Introducción a la vida devota’, los doce libros del ‘Tratado del amor de Dios’, ‘Conferencias espirituales’, ‘Sermones’ y ‘Cartas’.