...a mother and her little daughter, both stricken by the plague, [were] trapped in a house whose door had been sealed. Without hesitation, the scion of the illustrious Borromeo family used a ladder to climb through an upstairs window into the room where the two lay. The mother was dead. After praying for her soul, the Cardinal descended the ladder holding the child tightly in his arms. The child survived. Deeply moved by this incredible act, Manning rightly exclaimed: “A deed worthy of a picture.”

onepeterfive.com

The Colossus of Lombardy: Saint Charles Borromeo

Doctor in civil and ecclesiastical law, an aristocrat by birth on his father’s side—Count Gilbert of Arona—and also on his mother’s side, Margaret (the sister of Pope Pius IV), who descended from the Milanese branch of the famous Medici family, Charles Borromeo (1538–1584) can truly be considered, in every respect, an
The first significant detail we learn from Father Giussano’s biography concerns the origins of this terrible epidemic. It all began with the visit of a distinguished figure of the time, Don Juan of Austria. In his honor, the notables of Milan had prepared lavish celebrations. This happened at precisely the same time when, at the initiative of Cardinal Archbishop Charles, numerous acts of devotion were being organized to revive Christian piety. The festivities in honor of Don Juan could only distract the public’s attention, deeply saddening the saint’s heart. Without resentment but with profound lucidity, he foretold the consequences of these thoughtless worldly …

220