November 20 - Saint Felix of Valois
Quick Facts- Son of Count Raoul de Vermandois et de Valois and Alienor de Champagne.
- As a child he received the blessings of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux and Pope Innocent II.
- Educated at the abbey of Clairvaux.
- As a young man, following his parents' extremely disruptive divorce, he renounced his wealth and took the name Felix.
- Cistercian monk at Clairvaux.
- Hermit in the Italian Alps.
- Priest.
- Hermit in the forest of Galeresse, diocese of Meaux.
- Friend and spiritual teacher of Saint John of Matha.
- The two of the founded the Order of the Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives (Trinitarians; Redemptionists) in order to ransom Christians held as slaves by Moors in Spain and Northern Africa.
- The Order received papal approval on 17 December 1198, and within 40 years there were over 600 houses worldwide.
- Today there are around 600 members of the Order working in prison ministries in over twenty countries, and they recently celebrated their 800 year anniversary.
