Our Lady's Holy Commander
by Fr. Roger J. Landry - July 18, 2008
The last time I was in Portugal visiting my friends João and Maria and their seven wonderful kids, Maria took me to visit the ruins of a former Carmelite Church on the promontory overlooking Libson's bustling Rossio Square. The exquisite Gothic structure was decimated by an earthquake in 1755, except for its very thick walls and floor, which remain witnesses to just how splendid the original Church must have been.
As we entered the former Church, Maria took me to an open sarcophagus of the one who in 1389 had founded the Church. His tomb had been lost under the rubble since the earthquake but was rediscovered in the late 1990s. She asked me, first, if I happened to know the famous founder whose tomb it was. I confessed my ignorance. She then said, "Beato Nuño," as if that would be the only clue I'd need.
"Who?," I replied, to her surprise.
"O Santo Condestável!" she added, meaning the "Holy Constable" or commander-in-chief of the Portuguese army, but that was no help either.
Finally, convinced that I must be off my historical and hagiological game that morning, she divulged his whole name — "Blessed Nuño de Santa Maria Álvares Pereira!" — only to be totally dumbfounded when I told her I had never heard of the man.
By the end of the morning, she made sure I would never forget him!
There, around his tomb, she gave me a quick summary of his life. She then led me across the square outside the former Church to the convent of the Third Order Carmelites. Inside she took me to the upstairs chapel where we prayed in front of some of Blessed Nuño's relics. Next she took me to the great convent museum dedicated to him. Finally she took me to the chapel's bookstore, where she proceeded to buy me a short Portuguese biography of the holy commander and — doubtless so that my knowledge of him would pass from the head to the heart — persuaded the Carmelite tertiary in charge of the bookstore to allow me to part with a reliquary so that I could more easily pray to him back in the United States and spread his devotion.
When Maria and I returned to their home, João and the older children, after recovering from their initial shock that a Catholic priest had never heard of Blessed Nuño, inducted me into their devotion for the holy constable, telling me why he was not only one of the greatest military heroes in the history of Portugal but one of the greatest saints.
All of these thoughts came back to me with joy when, on July 3, Pope Benedict announced that he had accepted a decree recognizing Blessed Nuño's heroic virtue as well as the miracle needed for his canonization. When I read the news from the Vatican Information Service, I went immediately to the chapel here in the rectory to venerate the relics that I brought back from Portugal. While in the chapel, I received a text message from João, asking whether I had heard the great news. He said it was a new phase in the life of Portugal, and asked me to pray that the news would help bring his country closer to God.
One of 26 children, Nuño Álvares Pereira was born on the feast of the birth of John the Baptist in 1360. When he was just 13, he fought admirably and effectively against the invading Castillians. During the next several years, in addition to marrying at the age of 17 and having a daughter, he earned a reputation as a courageous warrior, precociously inspiring leader and brilliant military strategist. When he was 23, he was so effective as a field commander in the Battle of Atoleiros that he would be named Portugal's "Constable" or Commander-in-Chief. During the battle, his horse was struck and fell on top of his leg, pinning him down. To the amazement of his soldiers, despite not being able to move his leg, he repeatedly fought off Castillians intent on taking his life. His heroism inspired the much smaller Portuguese forces to imitate his courage and they rout their much more numerous counterparts from the East.
Two years later, as he and King John I of Portugal were preparing for the decisive Battle of Aljubarrota, he stopped his troops on the plains of Fatima. It was August 13, 1385. There the king and his constable each vowed to the Blessed Virgin Mary that should they win the following day, they would build a monastery to her honor.
It is interesting to note that during their prayer, Blessed Nuño's horse miraculously knelt down in reverence. This induced the holy constable to predict publicly that one day a miracle would take place there. 532 years later, for six months on the 13th of each month, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the three shepherd children of Fatima in those very same plains.
Under a standard emblazoned with the image of Our Lady, Blessed Nuño led his troops into battle the following day shouting out, "In the name of God and of Our Lady." Their celestial intercession is perhaps the only explanation for how his 6,000 Portuguese troops were able to crush the 30,000 Castilians.
In fulfillment of their vows, King John built the famous Batalha Monastery and Blessed Nuño, in 1389, built the monastery to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Lisbon that Maria and I had visited. In 1404, after having built six other churches to honor the Mother of God, Nuño donated his remaining wealth to the Carmel. In 1423, his wife having died, he gave our Lady and the monastery the rest and best he had — the remaining years of his life — entering the Carmel as a simple lay brother. There he begged for alms door-to-door, served as a porter, gave alms to the poor, kissed the hands of priests who had formerly been his awestruck soldiers, prayed and mortified himself in a tiny hermitage built by the convent. He also used his considerable talents and reputation to spread devotion to our Lady through the Rosary and the Scapular.
In 1431, as he lay dying, he asked his Carmelite brothers to read him St. John's account of the Passion. At the words "Ecce Mater tua," "Behold your mother" (Jn 19:27), he passed into her loving arms for all eternity. It was fittingly Easter Sunday.
On the battlefield, Blessed Nuño fought with the whole energy of his personality, communicating his courage to all the others fighting with him. In the monastery, he lived with heroic virtue and inspired his brothers and many others to the same commitment.
With the impending news of his canonization, his valiant and holy example will become a model for Catholics throughout the world. God-willing, he will become a more widely-invoked intercessor for all Catholics to be bold defenders of God, his Church and those in need.
Hopefully he will also become so well-known and loved that every American on pilgrimage to Lisbon will know readily how to respond when asked by friends whether they know Our Lady's "Holy Constable!"
Father Roger J. Landry is pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in New Bedford, MA and Executive Editor of The Anchor, the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Fall River.
