Blessed Odoric of Pordenone was born in 1286 AD in Pordenone, Holy Roman Empire(present Italy) and lived as a franciscan missionary explorer, travelling and preaching across Europe. He died at the age of 45, in Udine, Holy Roman Empire(present Italy) due to an unknown illness, on January 14 1331 AD. His feast day is celebrated on January 14.
Blessed Odoric of Pordenone’s Life History
Odorico Mattiussi, famously known as Odoric of Pordenone, was born in 1286 AD, in Pordenone, from the Mattiussi family known at the time, to be tasked with the responsibility to defend the town of Pordenone under Ottokar II, King of Bohemia.
Not much of his childhood is known but it is known that he became a missionary and he took his vows in his early years and joined the franciscans at one of their convents in Udine, Friuli.
He was dispatched in April 1318, beginning from Padua, moving through Venice and to Trebizond. He preached in Armenia, the Persian gulf and to Ormus with a companion named James of Ireland and from there, sailing to India to reach Thane, near Mumbai.
At Thane, disinterred the remains of Saint Thomas of Tolentino and three of his companions, who were martyred, from a church founded there. He travelled with these relics to Guangzhou, where he placed most of the relics in a franciscan house established there. He remaind with Saint Thomas’ head for the purpose of delivering it to the franciscans of the martyr’s hometown.
He travelled through the Great Canal,to the headquaters of the Great Khan at Khanbaliq(present day Beijing), where he remained and did missionary work for three years.
Odoric was said to have returned to Italy, presumably at the end of 1329 AD or at the beginning of 1330 AD. He was passionate about his travels as he would write down all he had experienced and made sure to pass his knowledge forward. He is responsible for 73 manuscripts originally in Latin, French and Italian.
He resided in a minorite house of the friary of Sy. Anthony of Padua, after his retuen to Italy and he narrated his accounts to a friar by the name of William of Sologna.
During his travel to Avignon, he fell ill at Pisa and ge was taken to Udine where he died on January 14 1331 AD.
Blessed Odoric of Pordenone’s Birth
Blessed Odoric of Pordenone was born in 1286 AD in Pordenone, Holy Roman Empire(present Italy).
Blessed Odoric of Pordenone’s Death
He died on January 14 1331 AD, in Udine, Holy Roman Empire, due to an unknown illness.
Family Background
He was born from the Italian family Mattiussi, which was in charge of protecting the town of Pordenone.
Profession
He was a franciscan missionary explorer in Europe and Asia.
Blessed Odoric of Pordenone’s Beatification
He was beatified on July 2 1755 Ad at the Saint Peter’s Basilica by Pope Benedict XIV.
Blessed Odoric of Pordenone is Venerated in
He is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church
Blessed Odoric of Pordenone’s Major Shrine
His shrine is the Church of Our Kady of Mount Carmek, Udine, Italy.
Blessed Odoric of Pordenone’s Feast Day
His feast day is celebrated on January 14.
Attributes
A man preaching to the chinese as portrayed in an old chinese painting.
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