Ferdinand of Aragon

Who they were

According to santiebeati.it, Ferdinand of Aragon was a son of King Sancho III of Navarre and Elvira, countess of Castile, who gave himself to a solitary, contemplative life and eventually settled in woods near Caiazzo in Italy. His reputation for holiness led the faithful of Caiazzo to make him their bishop, filling a see vacant since 1070, and he died of a sudden fever while on pilgrimage at Alvignano on 27 June 1082, his body being buried at the church of Santa Maria di Cubulteria.

The entry itself notes a serious historical doubt: the documented bishops of Caiazzo for that period do not include a Ferdinand, so some scholars suspect that this 'Ferdinand, bishop' is really a folk confusion with Saint Ferdinand III, king of Castile and León (1199-1252), whose relics may have been brought to the area and popularly turned into a local bishop. His feast is kept on 27 June.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.

Why that counted as sanctity

Bishop of Caiazzo of disputed identity, possibly confused with Saint Ferdinand III of Castile; feast 27 June.

Connected on this site

• Isabella I of Castile Servant of God
  “Isabella's marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469 created the basis of the de facto unification of Spain.” — Wikipedia