St. Aloysius Gonzaga: Patron of Youth Who Died Serving Plague Victims
Quick answer
St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1568–1591) was the eldest son of an Italian marquis, trained to be a soldier and ruler. Drawn to God from childhood, he gave up his inheritance to his brother and entered the Society of Jesus. During a plague in Rome in 1591, he carried the sick to the hospital and nursed them, caught the disease and died at twenty-three. He is the patron of young people and Catholic youth. His feast is June 21.
Key takeaways
- He grew up at court and served as a page in Florence and Spain.
- St. Charles Borromeo gave him his First Communion.
- His father fought his vocation for years before giving in.
- He died on June 21, 1591, after caring for plague victims.
St. Aloysius Gonzaga was born to rule. He chose instead to serve, and he died young doing the hardest kind of service there is.
A Prince’s Son
Luigi Gonzaga was born on March 9, 1568, in the castle of Castiglione delle Stiviere in northern Italy, the eldest son of Ferrante Gonzaga, Marquis of Castiglione. His father wanted him to be a soldier. As a small boy, Luigi wore a little suit of armor and marched with the troops.
He was sent to serve as a page at the courts of Florence and Mantua, then Madrid. The courts were full of intrigue and vice. Aloysius kept apart, prayed and fasted. At about nine he made a private vow of chastity. At twelve he received his First Communion from St. Charles Borromeo, the great archbishop of Milan.
A Fight for His Vocation
At about seventeen, Aloysius told his father he wanted to become a Jesuit. His father was furious and for years tried to change his mind, sending him on travels and to courts. Aloysius would not give up. At last his father relented. Aloysius signed over his inheritance to his younger brother and entered the Jesuit novitiate in Rome in 1585.
The Plague of 1591
In 1591 plague and famine struck Rome. The Jesuits opened a hospital and Aloysius, still a student, begged in the streets for the sick and carried the dying from the streets to the hospital. He washed and fed them and prepared them for death. He caught the disease.
He lingered for some weeks. His spiritual director, St. Robert Bellarmine, was at his bedside. Aloysius died on June 21, 1591, at twenty-three, gazing at a crucifix and saying the name of Jesus.
Patron of Youth
Aloysius was canonized in 1726 and named patron of young people. Some older pictures make him look sweet and fragile. In fact he was stubborn, strong-willed and brave. He shows young people that holiness takes courage, and that giving your life to others is the way to find it.
In recent decades he has also been named a patron of people living with HIV and AIDS and of those who care for them, because he died caring for the victims of an epidemic.
A Prayer for Young People (Original Prayer)
St. Aloysius, you chose Christ over riches and power. Pray for young people facing hard choices. Give them courage, purity and a generous heart, and bless all who care for the sick. Amen.
Continue Reading
Read about St. Robert Bellarmine, St. Charles Borromeo, or St. John Bosco.
Frequently asked questions
When is the feast of St. Aloysius Gonzaga?
June 21.
What is St. Aloysius the patron saint of?
Young people, students, Catholic youth, and people living with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers.
Who was his spiritual director?
St. Robert Bellarmine, who was with him at his death and later asked to be buried near him.
Sources
- Virgil Cepari, SJ, Life of St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1606)
- Pope Benedict XIII, Canonization (1726)
- Roman Missal, Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, June 21
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