St. Nuno of St. Mary – November 6 – Carmelite Saints
Summary:
Nuno was born in 1360 and fought for many years as a soldier for Portugal's independence. After his wife’s death, he entered the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel as a brother in the house he had founded in Lisbon and took the name of Nuno of Saint Mary (1423). He died there in 1431, after distinguishing himself by his prayer, penance, and filial devotion to the Mother of God.
History:
Nuno Álvares Pereira was born in Portugal on June 24, 1360, the feast day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, most likely at Cernache do Bomjardin. He was the illegitimate son of Br. Álvaro Gonçalves Pereira and Donna Iria Gonçalves do Carvalhal. Because his father was a professed member of the Order of Hospitalier Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, his parents were never married. Alvaro Gonçalves Pereira had 32 illegitimate children, and Nuno’s grandfather was the 97th Archbishop of Braga. About a year after his birth, Nuno’s birth was legitimized by royal decree, and he received a knightly education typical of noble offspring of the time, learning the principles of chivalry.
At 13, he became a page to Queen Leonor and was knighted. Over the next several years, he earned a reputation as a courageous warrior, a precociously inspiring leader, and a brilliant military strategist. At his father’s insistence, he married a rich young widow, Doñna Leonor de Alvim, at 16, and the couple had three children, though two died in early childhood. His daughter, Beatrice, later married Alfonso, the first Duke of Bragança and son of King João I.
When King Fernando died without an heir on October 22, 1383, his brother João entered the struggle for the Lusitanian crown, contested by the King of Castile, who had married the dead king's daughter. Nuno took João’s side and became a pivotal figure in Portugal’s struggle to safeguard its independence from Castile. In 1384, he defeated the Castilians at the Battle of Atoleiros, and his success as a field commander earned him the title of Portugal’s “Constable,” or Commander-in-Chief.
His leadership at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385 ended the conflict, secured Portugal’s freedom, and established his legacy as a noble and valiant defender of his homeland. Before the battle began, he stopped his troops on the plains of Fatima on August 13, 1385. There, the king and Nuno vowed to the Blessed Virgin Mary that, if they won the following day, they would build a monastery in her honor. During their prayer, Nuno’s horse miraculously knelt in reverence, and he publicly predicted that a miracle would one day take place there.
Nuño's military capabilities were tempered by deep spirituality and a profound love of the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin, the main foundations of his interior life. Fully dedicated to Marian prayer, he fasted in Mary’s honor on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and on the vigil of her feasts. At his own expense, he built numerous churches and monasteries, including the Carmelite church in Lisbon and the church of Our Lady of Victories at Batalha. He also encouraged his soldiers to receive the sacraments as often as they could and discouraged them from immoral activities common among soldiers of the day. His personal banner, or standard, was divided into four quadrants by a cross, and the quadrants depicted Mary at the foot of the cross, Mary, Mother of God, and his two knightly role models, St. George and St. James.
For leading Portugal to freedom, King João rewarded him with extensive lands and properties. His main castle was at Ourém, close to present-day Fatima. Yet despite the wealth and titles bestowed upon him, Nuno’s heart remained anchored in faith, and he gave away most of his wealth to war veterans.
Nuno’s wife died in 1387, when he was 27, and he chose not to remarry. He lived a celibate lifestyle, a radical choice rooted in his already acknowledged spiritual path. He dedicated himself to chivalry, prayer, benevolence, and a life inspired by the Gospels.
On August 15, 1423, at the age of 63, Nuno gave up all titles and lands and entered the Carmelite Order at the church and priory he had founded in Lisbon, taking the name of Br. Nuno of Saint Mary. He would have wanted to withdraw to a community far from Portugal, but the king's son, Don Duarte, prevented it. Instead, he dedicated himself to the convent and, above all, to the poor, whom he continued to help and serve in every possible way. For them, he organized daily food distribution and never hesitated to meet their needs. As a Carmelite, he begged for alms door-to-door, served as a porter, gave alms to the poor, kissed the hands of priests who had formerly been his awestruck soldiers, prayed and mortified himself in a tiny hermitage built by the convent. He also used his considerable talents and reputation to spread devotion to our Lady through the Rosary and the Scapular.
He died on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1431. As he lay dying, he asked his Carmelite brothers to read him St. John's account of the Passion. At the words “Ecce Mater tua,” “Behold your mother,” he passed into her loving arms for all eternity. After his death, the people immediately considered Nuno a saint, calling him “O Holy Constable!” Even before his death, they erected statues dedicated to his heroism throughout Portugal. On the battlefield, Nuno fought with great energy, inspiring his comrades with his courage. In the monastery, he lived with heroic virtue and inspired his brothers and many others to the same commitment.
While the fame of Nuno’s holiness remained constant and grew over time, many other obstacles stood in the way of canonization. The Portuguese sovereigns began this process, followed by the Carmelite Order. Only in 1894 did Fr. Anastasio Ronci, then Postulator General of the Carmelites, succeed in introducing the process to recognize the cultus of Blessed Nuno. Despite the difficulties, it concluded happily on December 23, 1918, when Pope Benedict XV declared him blessed.
During this time, Nuno Álvares Pereira’s tomb was lost in the famous 1755 Lisbon earthquake. The discovery of the original tomb site in 1996, along with authenticated bone fragments, renewed the desire to hasten the proclamation of Blessed Nuno as a saint. The Postulator General of the Carmelites, Fr. Felipe M. Amenós y Bonet, took up the cause again, and an approved miracle, the healing of a blind woman in Portugal in 2000, corroborated it. Pope Benedict XVI canonized him on April 26, 2009. St. Nuno’s feast day was officially fixed on the Roman calendar as November 6, moved from April 1 after his canonization.
Prayer:
Lord God,
you called Saint Nuno Alvares Pereira
to put aside his sword and follow Christ
under the patronage of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Through his prayers may we too deny ourselves,
and devote ourselves to you with all our hearts.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.
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