Peter Nolasco
Spanish saint
Feast: 28 January (1962 Missal, III class) · not on the current Roman calendar
Who they were
Peter Nolasco was born of a noble family near Castelnaudary in France around 1189, known from youth for his piety and charity. He gave his possessions to the poor, vowed virginity and went to Barcelona, where he spent his whole fortune ransoming Christians held captive by the Moors.
Moved also by a vision, and encouraged by St Raymond of Penyafort and King James I of Aragon, in 1218 he founded the Mercedarians, whose members vowed to give all they had to redeem captives and, if necessary, to remain in captivity in their place; Gregory IX approved the order in 1230. He died at Barcelona on Christmas Day around 1256.
The miracles
The miracles examined for his canonisation are not described in the sources we have used.
Why that counted as sanctity
Peter Nolasco gave everything, and asked his brothers to be ready to give themselves, to free Christians from slavery.
Connected on this site
- Raymond Nonnatus Saint“Of a noble but poor family, he was set to farm work by his father, but was allowed to join the Mercedarians at Barcelona under St Peter Nolasco.” — this site's research
- Raymond of Penyafort Saint“Moved also by a vision, and encouraged by St Raymond of Penyafort and King James I of Aragon, in 1218 he founded the Mercedarians, whose members vowed to give all they had to redeem captives and, if necessary, to remain in captivity in their place; Gregory IX approved the order in 1230.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Peter Nolasco
- Wikidata Q468802 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Peter Nolasco (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.