Saint Peregrine Laziosi by Catholic Art Studio

Saint Peregrine Laziosi (St. Peregrine)

Who they were

A young anticlerical hothead of Forlì who struck a papal legate, was forgiven, and joined the Servites. Sixty years later a cancer in his leg was due for amputation; he prayed all night before a crucifix and in the morning it was gone.

Why people ask for them

Patron of cancer patients and the seriously ill. Feast day May 1. Died 1345.

About this drawing

One of the Charcoal Saints: forty-eight portraits drawn to the same sheet — willow charcoal and white chalk on toned paper, half-length, the face and hands finished and the rest left loose — so that any two of them hang together like family. Peregrine Laziosi’s likeness and attributes come from the saint’s own iconography. The drawing hand is an image model working to a written brief; the eye that judged each candidate, sent the weak ones back with notes and asked again was a person’s. Some saints came at once; some took five tries and a change of heart. This is the one we would hang ourselves.