Early Life and Background

Peter of Alcantara was born Juan de Garavito y Vilela de Sanabria on October 19, 1499, in Alcántara, a small town near Cáceres, in the Extremadura region of Spain. His family belonged to the lower nobility, providing him with a solid education and religious foundation. From a young age, Peter demonstrated a remarkable inclination toward piety, prayer, and detachment from worldly things.

At about the age of 16, Peter entered the University of Salamanca, where he studied canon and civil law. However, his vocation to religious life drew him away from the academic path and, at the age of 16, he joined the Franciscan Order (Observants) at the monastery of Manxarretes, near the town of Alcántara.

Religious Formation and Early Ministry

Peter’s fervor for the Franciscan ideals of poverty, humility, and self-denial was evident from the outset. He embraced the Rule of St. Francis with zeal, practicing severe penances and devoting himself to hours of contemplation. He was ordained a priest in 1524. By the time he was in his mid-twenties, his reputation for sanctity and wisdom had spread throughout the region.

In 1538, he was appointed guardian (superior) of the friary at Badajoz, and soon after, he became the provincial of the Franciscan province of St. Gabriel in Spain. Amidst the turbulence of the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation, Peter emerged as an ardent proponent of spiritual renewal within the Church.

Reformer and Founder: The Alcantarines

Disheartened by the laxity he perceived among his fellow friars, Peter sought to restore the original rigor and purity of the Franciscan Rule. In 1554, after much prayer and discernment, he obtained papal approval from Pope Julius III to establish a new branch of the Franciscan order, which became known as the “Discalced” (barefoot) or “Alcantarine” Franciscans.

The Alcantarines followed a more austere observance, emphasizing solitude, silence, fasting, and unceasing prayer. The friars lived in extremely simple conditions, wore coarse habits, and often slept only a few hours at night, sometimes sitting or kneeling rather than lying down. Peter himself was famed for sleeping very little and for his use of a wooden pillow or even bare ground. He subsisted largely on bread and water, and engaged in frequent self-mortification.

Despite his strictness, Peter was known for his gentleness, humility, and tender care for his brothers. His reform efforts were not universally welcomed, and he faced considerable opposition, but his perseverance and evident sanctity gradually won over both friars and laity.

Spiritual Influence and Mysticism

St. Peter of Alcantara was renowned for his deep interior life, mystical experiences, and supernatural gifts. He experienced frequent ecstasies during prayer and was said to have the ability to levitate. His writings, especially his "Treatise on Prayer and Meditation," became classics of Spanish spiritual literature, extolling the transformative power of contemplative prayer and the need for interior recollection.

Peter’s counsel was sought by many, including secular and ecclesiastical leaders. Most notably, he was a spiritual director and confidant to St. Teresa of Ávila. His support proved crucial to Teresa during her own efforts to reform the Carmelite order. Teresa later testified that Peter’s prayers and guidance helped her overcome significant obstacles, and in her writings, she referred to him as a “saint” even before his official canonization.

Later Years and Death

In the final years of his life, Peter continued to travel throughout Spain, founding new monasteries and encouraging a spirit of repentance and reform wherever he went. Despite his fragile health, weakened by decades of ascetic practice, he remained indefatigable in his mission.

On October 18, 1562, Peter of Alcantara died at the monastery in Arenas de San Pedro, in the province of Ávila, Spain. By all accounts, his death was serene, and witnesses reported miraculous signs and heavenly fragrances surrounding his passing. His remains became an object of veneration, and many miracles were attributed to his intercession.

Legacy
St. Peter of Alcantara left a profound legacy as a renewer of religious life and an exemplar of Franciscan spirituality. His teachings and example influenced countless individuals in his time and have continued to do so through the centuries. His humility, mortification, and mystical gifts inspired his contemporaries and later generations alike.

Saint Peter of Alcantara Pray for us!