Born in Italy in the mid-13th century, he was named after St. Nicholas of Myra because his parents had prayed for his intercession when they had a difficult time conceiving. 

Nicholas was attracted to religious life at a young age and by the time he was 18 made the decision to join the Augustinians and become a monk. 

Seven years later he was ordained a priest. 

He was a gifted speaker and preacher, but he was also Blessed with visions and in 1274, one of those visions was of angels who were calling Nicholas to go, to Tolentino. 

At the time, Tolentino was in the midst of an ongoing battle between those who supported the Pope, and those who supported the Holy Roman Emperor. 

It was here that he would spend the rest of his life. 

He also had a great love for the poor and sick. Often he would fast, giving away his own provisions. 

At one point, he became extremely weak. He had a vision of The Blessed Mother and St. Augustine who told him to eat some of the bread marked with a Cross and dipped in water. 

When he did this his strength returned immediately. 

Soon, Nicholas was passing out this bread to the sick and curing them while praying to Mary. This was the beginning of the Augustinian tradition of blessing and distributing St. Nicholas bread. 

Nicholas also had visions of Purgatory, which is why he fasted so often. 

He died on this day in 1305 but, many miracles have been attributed to him since his death, including nine people sinking in a boat who were saved during a storm when he appeared to them, and rebuked the storm. 

He also appeared to resurrect a number of children, including a group who had all drowned together. 

He is the Patron Saint of animals, babies, the sick, marriage, the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and dozens of cities, towns, and dioceses around the world. 

St. Nicholas of Tolentino, please pray for us.