CatholicSaints.Info

Blessed Alexander of Lugo

Also known as

Alexander Baldrati
Alexander Baldrati a Lugo

10 February

Profile

Alexander joined the Dominicans in Lugo, Italy in 1612, then studied in Faenza, Naples, and the convent of Our Lady of the Arch. Priest, assigned to Bologna, Italy soon after ordination. He worked himself so hard, in pulpit and with the needy, that he ruined his health and had to be reassigned to Venice, Italy to recover.

As part of his recovery, and to get him away from the over-work that had crushed him, he was sent by sea to the east. The ship stopped on the Greek island of Chios, and Alexander took the opportunity to preach to the locals. An apostate Christian there took the opportunity to stir up sentiment against Alexander, going to the Muslim authorities and swearing that Alexander had converted to Islam. Alexander was dragged to court, interrogated, and offered in rewards if he would bring other Dominicans to Islam. When he denied that he had ever converted to Islam, the court convicted him of being an apostate Muslim, and charged the Christian authorities of harbouring an apostate.

The archbishop and the Dominicans swore that Alexander had always been a Christian. When questioned again, Alexander denounced Islam, Mohammed, and the Koran. After an brief imprisonment, he was martyred by the Muslim authorities and local citizens.