Bartholomew of Braganca

Who they were

Bartholomew received the Dominican habit at Padua from St Dominic himself. He became a bishop in Cyprus in 1248, visited King St Louis in the Holy Land, and in 1256 was made Bishop of Vicenza by Pope Alexander IV.

At Vicenza he suffered under the tyrant Ezzelino, which showed his quality as a pastor. He built the Dominican Church of the Crown there, where he was buried. He died on 1 July 1271.

The miracles

He was venerated by the people and, according to the Bollandists, has always been honoured with the title of Blessed; the Catholic Encyclopedia does not describe a formal cause.

Why that counted as sanctity

A Dominican bishop who stood firm as a shepherd under persecution.