blessed peter james of pesaro

Blessed Peter preached the word of God zealously in many cities of Italy and intensely loved the contemplative life.

It is to Peter’s activity as a calligrapher that one has knowledge of the first certain date of his life, 8 August 1472, at Farneto di Montelabbate (Pesaro), Italy. On 3 November of that year he was master of students at the general house of studies of Perugia, where he obtained the degree of lector in the following year. In 1479 he was awarded the degree of master in theology. Peter excelled, however, not only for his intellectual gifts but also for his Christian virtue, especially his serene equilibrium and rare prudence. From 1492 to 1495 he was prior provincial of the Province of Picena, which at that time was called the March of Ancona, and the prior general gave him full powers to reform the province. He taught at the general house of studies of Florence and Bologna and was appointed prior of the monasteries of Aquila, Bologna, and Valmanente (Pesaro), where he died in 1496. It was in this last community that he devoted his final years to prayer and the delicate work of copying and decorating codices and liturgical books.

Blessed Peter’s remains are venerated in the Augustinian church of Valmanente.
His feast is observed by the Augustinian Family on 25 June.