Fr. Angelico, son of Salvatore Lipani and Calogera Raitano, was born in Caltanissetta on 28 December 1842, from a very religious family (his older brother Pietro died young priest), and was baptized the same day with the name of Vincenzo.
After studying with the Jesuits in Caltanissetta, in 1861 he took the franciscan habit in the convent of Caccamo, taking the name Fra' Angelico, and was sent to Palermo to complete his studies. Here in 1866 he was ordained priest, but his Franciscan joy was short-lived. The same year, in fact, due to the revolutionary laws, was forced to leave the convent with his brothers and returned to his family in Caltanissetta. Here the bishop gave him the church of the Lord of the City and the teaching of Latin at the Episcopal seminary.
In the church maintained and supplied to the cult of the "Signore della Città", the main patron of Caltanissetta, and supplied to the restoration and consolidation of one of the oldest churches in the city.
In seminary he was an inimitable teacher, he provided to draft a Latin grammar suited to his disciples. For 25 years he instructed the younger generation of priests, until the bishop, Mgr. Guttadauro, as thanks for his work, gave him the convent of San Michele alle Calcare, thus fulfilling the desire of Father Angelico to replenish the Capuchin community, disbanded after the 1866.
While "refounded" Franciscans in the city, the heart of Fr. Angelico was close to the disasters that often hit the nisseni, especially in the mines of sulfur. The orphans were so many needy and Fr. Angelico, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, decided to help these girls and young women, to ensure them a life of dignity and right. So October 15, 1885 he founded the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Lord of the City, with two sisters. The first superior was Sister Giuseppina Ruvolo.
The headquarters of the Congregation was (and still is) the church of the Lord of the City, which was also enlarged and enriched by beautiful works of art, commissioned by Father Angelico and the Countess Adelaide Testasecca, great benefactor of the fledgling congregation.
Over the years, the congregation grew and gave asylum to so many girls, giving them the education and preparation to face the world.
In 1903 the Capuchins, finally, returned to the Convent of San Michele, now ready, and Fr. Angelico returned with them.
In 1914, due to an illness, he was forced to leave his beloved community and to go with her sisters in the same house where he was born. Here lived the last years of his life in obedience, despite the pain of not being able to fully live his Franciscan vocation.
Hearing the approaching death, wanted his bedside nuns founded by him, already numerous, for they left his spiritual testament: Be holy, I want you all holy, how I want to be holy.
With these words he breathed his last, was July 9, 1920.
At the news of his death all the bells of the city rang the death knell, and the houses began to spread the word: P. Angelico died, the saint.
His figure is so far in the heart of nisseni, as a man of charity, as knoweth the hearts, as a teacher of generations.
The process of beatification was opened, very late, in 1997. In the meantime, however, don Giuseppe Sorce Lo Vullo, chaplain to the Franciscan Sisters of the Lord of Caltanissetta, had collected numerous testimonies, all recorded and cataloged, about the fame of holiness and the heroic virtues of the Servant of God.
Currently the records are being examined by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
.
After studying with the Jesuits in Caltanissetta, in 1861 he took the franciscan habit in the convent of Caccamo, taking the name Fra' Angelico, and was sent to Palermo to complete his studies. Here in 1866 he was ordained priest, but his Franciscan joy was short-lived. The same year, in fact, due to the revolutionary laws, was forced to leave the convent with his brothers and returned to his family in Caltanissetta. Here the bishop gave him the church of the Lord of the City and the teaching of Latin at the Episcopal seminary.
In the church maintained and supplied to the cult of the "Signore della Città", the main patron of Caltanissetta, and supplied to the restoration and consolidation of one of the oldest churches in the city.
In seminary he was an inimitable teacher, he provided to draft a Latin grammar suited to his disciples. For 25 years he instructed the younger generation of priests, until the bishop, Mgr. Guttadauro, as thanks for his work, gave him the convent of San Michele alle Calcare, thus fulfilling the desire of Father Angelico to replenish the Capuchin community, disbanded after the 1866.
While "refounded" Franciscans in the city, the heart of Fr. Angelico was close to the disasters that often hit the nisseni, especially in the mines of sulfur. The orphans were so many needy and Fr. Angelico, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, decided to help these girls and young women, to ensure them a life of dignity and right. So October 15, 1885 he founded the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Lord of the City, with two sisters. The first superior was Sister Giuseppina Ruvolo.
The headquarters of the Congregation was (and still is) the church of the Lord of the City, which was also enlarged and enriched by beautiful works of art, commissioned by Father Angelico and the Countess Adelaide Testasecca, great benefactor of the fledgling congregation.
Over the years, the congregation grew and gave asylum to so many girls, giving them the education and preparation to face the world.
In 1903 the Capuchins, finally, returned to the Convent of San Michele, now ready, and Fr. Angelico returned with them.
In 1914, due to an illness, he was forced to leave his beloved community and to go with her sisters in the same house where he was born. Here lived the last years of his life in obedience, despite the pain of not being able to fully live his Franciscan vocation.
Hearing the approaching death, wanted his bedside nuns founded by him, already numerous, for they left his spiritual testament: Be holy, I want you all holy, how I want to be holy.
With these words he breathed his last, was July 9, 1920.
At the news of his death all the bells of the city rang the death knell, and the houses began to spread the word: P. Angelico died, the saint.
His figure is so far in the heart of nisseni, as a man of charity, as knoweth the hearts, as a teacher of generations.
The process of beatification was opened, very late, in 1997. In the meantime, however, don Giuseppe Sorce Lo Vullo, chaplain to the Franciscan Sisters of the Lord of Caltanissetta, had collected numerous testimonies, all recorded and cataloged, about the fame of holiness and the heroic virtues of the Servant of God.
Currently the records are being examined by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
.