From a life stray life and dissolved to holiness. From sin to grace. From selfishness to charity. Camillo de Lellis, the saint who is celebrated today, is an example of what God can when we allow him to break into our existences: It doesn’t matter the starting point, often imbued with mud. Born in Bucchianico, near Chieti, on May 25, 1550, from an officer of a noble family at the service of Emperor Charles V, And from a mother already ahead in the age (it was sixty years old when he gave him to light) Camillo was a lively and restless child. He learned to read and write, which is not of little account at the time, but when, at thirteen, he died his mother, he did not disdain the riots of a wandering life.
In 1568 Camillo enlisted, following the father, career military, in the army of the Republic of Venice in the fight against the Turks, but soon he was also an orphan of a father. By attending the soldiers, he learned about language and pastimes, including the game of cards and dice. Without resources, he was forced due to a varicose ulcer on the foot, to look for, like nurse, free treatments at the San Giacomo degli incurable hospital in Rome. After a month, however, he was removed from that place because of his passion for the game. Physically Camillo was a giant, almost two meters high. And who knew him described him in good heart. Partially healed, Camillo thought that he was agreeing to make the mercenary soldier and with the second League he was sent, in the pay of Spain, first in Dalmatia and then in Tunis. He was dismissed in 1574, he lost all his having to play. To live, he had to beg until he found work as a laborer in the construction of the Capuchin convent of Manfredonia (Foggia).
In the end, the conversion. On February 2, 1575 Camillo decided to embrace Capuchin life; He, descending from a noble family, would have expected to the most humble offices of the community. He got to dress the dress, but after a few months the varicose ulcer reopen. Thus he had to return to San Giacomo degli incurable where he matured his vocation. Refused for the same reason, a second time, from the Cappuccini, Camillo decided to consecrate himself as a nurse at the service of the sick under the directorate of S. Filippo Neri (+1595), the apostle of Rome. The moment that the nursing staff was, in general, recruited between rough and incapable people, since 1582 he thought of gathering in an association of his companions who, completely to the care of the sick. A first attempt failed for the misunderstanding of the hospital directors. Camillo then convinced himself that an independent religious family was needed. To achieve the aim, it was necessary that he, at thirty -two years of age, was put back on the school desks, attended the courses of S. Roberto Bellarmino and Francesco Suarez to the Roman college, while continuing to visit and cure the sick. In 1584 Camillo was able to celebrate his first mass. He founded the order of the regular clerics ministers of the sick, known with a name inextricably linked to his: Camilliani. He died on July 14, 1614.
