Saint Orlando was a Benedictine monk who belonged to the congregation of Vallombrosa, he was a martyr, like Saint David, because after being taken to prison he suffered torture until his death, little is known about this servant of the Lord, but he was a monk who lived in the monastery and did manual labour.
History of Saint Orlando
This is a saint that when he lived was a Benedictine monk who belonged to the congregation, it is said that his cult is proper to Saint Benedict, in some parts he is a saint, this man was beatified, of his origins little is known nor much less what was his date of birth, of his life it is only known that he was in the Abbey of Vallombrosa in the times of Abab Benigno who is also known to have died in the year 1236.
It is known that Saint Orlando was not a priest but a monk, which at that time was called a causal converted brother, meaning that he always lived in the monastery, devoted to the manual work that was his responsibility, as well as to prayer and to the service of God.
He was always faithful to the ways of God, like St Gines, and to the rules of St Benedict, he always stood out as a man of prayer and obedience, which made the difference, among this group of Benedictines he was an example of purity and also had a special gift of driving out demons through his powerful intercession.
This great man, called Saint Orlando, was totally dedicated to the service of God, always fulfilling all his daily tasks with fullness and responsibility, his devotion to prayer was total, his communion with the Almighty was unique and very special, his fasts could last up to three days in a row and his only food was prayer and meditation, this did not prevent him from following the simplicity of the life of the Rule of the community.
The Benedictines considered him to be the hermit of the Order in the company of Blessed Jerome, because they saw in this man the reigning solitude and the profound silence that always characterised the holy rule. Then, in 1242, the unexpected happened: Saint Orlando died, after which many miracles and incomparable graces followed.
When the remains of this monk were taken away and the funeral was held, a demon-possessed man was brought to the temple to have his demons cast out, the idea was that he would be exorcised in front of the tomb where Saint John Gualberto, the founder, was buried, but it happened that the demon-possessed man shouted loudly and expressed the greatness of Saint Orlando and the humiliation of the demons when they were cast out by this holy man who had already died.
The demon-possessed man cried and shouted and asked to be freed, and he did so, asking for the intercession of Saint Orlando, after a while this man was miraculously freed from the demons that tormented him, and when the people saw the miracles and wonders that began to appear, his sanctity was proven, since then the miracles have not stopped happening and it is the custom of the monks to always invoke him for the liberation of demons.
Saint Orlando is buried near the bell tower of the abbey church of the beautiful town of Vallombrosa, a place where Saint Orlando was known for his many miracles, this man who, although little known, became a faithful servant of the Lord and, attached to prayer and his good habits, became a saint and a miracle worker.
It was only in the year 1600 that it was decided to take the relics of the Blessed Orlando together with the other relics of the other Blessed of Vallombrosa, to be exposed to the sight of all those who wish to see them, and the order was given by the Bishop Alexander of Medeci.
In addition to the public worship of this and other saints in the area, a chapel was built in his honour in 1604, and then rebuilt and enlarged in 1757 for the convenience of those who worship and venerate San Orlando for his miracles. In Vallombrosa there are 10 blessed and among them is San Orlando.
These 10 blessed are honoured and celebrated every year on the 1st of August, a feast that does not go unnoticed and in which the parishioners take the opportunity to thank them in the best possible way for the favours they have granted. Watch this video.
