Saint Camillus de Lellis

Saint Camillus de Lellis is known for helping the sick. He was a soldier, then a nurse, and then a priest. He is also known just as Camillus. He started a group of men who cared for the sick in hospitals and during war. He believed that the sick should be treated with kindness and love.

Camillus lived in Italy in the 1500s. At that time, hospitals were not clean or safe. Many people died not only from illness but also from poor care. Camillus saw this and wanted to help. He believed that people who are sick should be treated with respect.

He is known as the patron saint of the sick and of nurses. Many people today still look to his life as an example. He showed how to care for others, especially when they are weak or hurting.

Camillus is remembered for his deep care for others. He gave his whole life to help people in need. He saw Christ in every person who was sick or dying.

Camillus was born in 1550 in a town called Bucchianico in Italy. His mother died when he was still a baby. His father was a soldier. Camillus followed in his father’s steps and became a soldier too.

As a young man, Camillus had a hard time. He was tall and strong, but he made many bad choices. He liked to gamble. He often got into fights. He lost all his money. He lived for many years like this, without thinking about God.

When Camillus was still young, he got a sore on his leg. It never healed. Because of this wound, he could not stay in the army. He went to a hospital in Rome for help. There, he saw how badly the sick were treated. This made him think about his life.

He tried to work at the hospital, but he got in trouble and was fired. Even then, he did not give up. He started to pray more. He began to feel sorry for his past. Slowly, he changed. God was calling him to do something new.

Camillus found work at a Capuchin monastery. He helped build a house for the friars. The friars were kind to him. He began to pray and think more about God. He wanted to change his life for good.

He tried to become a Capuchin brother, but they had to send him away. His leg wound was too serious. But Camillus did not turn back. He took it as a sign that God had something else for him to do.

He went back to the hospital in Rome. This time, he worked hard and treated the sick with care. Other men saw his example and joined him. Together, they began to work in hospitals and care for people who were very ill.

Camillus also went to school to become a priest. He wanted to care not only for the bodies of the sick but also for their souls. He was ordained a priest in 1584. He now had a new mission in life.

Camillus started a new religious group. They were called the Order of the Ministers of the Sick. Some people just call them the Camillians. Their only goal was to help the sick, especially those who were poor or dying.

The Camillians wore a black robe with a red cross. That red cross became a symbol of their work. It showed that they wanted to bring care and love to people in pain. The men in the group took special vows to serve the sick, even during danger.

They worked in hospitals, homes, and on the streets. When plagues came, they stayed with the sick while others ran away. When war broke out, they helped wounded soldiers. They were brave and calm even when things were hard.

Camillus showed them how to work with joy and peace. He told them to care for the sick as if they were caring for Christ. This simple idea changed how people saw the sick. His group helped bring better care to many hospitals in Italy and beyond.

Camillus suffered most of his life. His leg wound never healed. He was often in great pain. But he did not complain. He said his suffering helped him understand the pain of others.

He also faced hard times leading his order. Some people did not agree with him. Some left. Some argued. But Camillus kept going. He trusted that God would guide the work, even in hard times.

He prayed often. He loved the Mass. He spent time with the sick even when he was sick himself. He was gentle with people. He did not care about being important. He only wanted to love and serve.

In his last years, he grew weaker. Still, he kept visiting hospitals and helping where he could. He died in 1614. People already thought of him as a saint.

Camillus was declared a saint in 1746 by Pope Benedict XIV. His feast day is July 18 in the United States. Elsewhere it is observed on July 14. The Church honors him as a patron of hospitals, the sick, nurses, and health care workers.

The order he founded still exists today. The Camillians serve the sick in many countries. They run hospitals, clinics, and missions. They continue the work Camillus started.

Many people in the Church look to him as a model of service. He showed that helping the sick is holy work. He helped others not only with medicine, but with love.

Statues and paintings of Camillus often show him lifting a sick man. Sometimes he is shown wearing the black robe with the red cross. He reminds us to care for those who are weak and to treat every sick person with love and respect.

A Soldier Surrenders: The Conversion of Saint Camillus de Lellis

A Soldier Surrenders: The Conversion of Saint Camillus de Lellis by Susan Peek is a novel about a wild young soldier who loved to fight, gamble, and get into trouble. But God had a plan for him. Even though Camillus kept falling and failing, he slowly changed and gave his life to helping the sick. This book shows how someone with a rough past can still become a saint. It is easy to read, fast-moving, and full of action. It is a good story for teens and adults, especially those who feel like they have messed up too much.