Blessed Gonzalo of Lagos, priest

Gonzalo was born around the middle of the 14th century in Lagos in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. He joined the Augustinians in Lisbon in 1380 and served in various Portugese houses as preacher, prior and also as a skilled copier of liturgical books. His community at Torres Vedras was so poor that the local bishop had to provide it with food which the prior would carry home on his back until the bishop became aware of the situation and started to provide Gonzalo with money instead of provisions. It was at Torres Vedras that Gonzalo died on 18th October, 1422. His long-standing cult was approved by Pope Pius VI in 1778. His body now rests in the cathedral at Faro.