June 25 | Saint William of Vercelli

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, imagine hitting the road for an epic backpacking trip. But instead of throwing on a comfortable pair of hiking boots and carrying an ultralight backpack, you wrap heavy clinking iron chains around your body. Oh, and you're doing this back in the Middle Ages, walking hundreds of miles across the rugged terrain of Europe.

This is the story of Saint William of Vercelli. Our story begins in Vercelli, a town in the Piedmont region of Italy, right around the year 1085. William had a really tough start to his life. He was orphaned at an early age, losing his parents when he was just a kid. But instead of letting tragedy crush him, or chasing after the riches and distractions of the world to make himself feel better, William developed a fierce, burning desire for something much deeper. He wanted pilgrimage, and he wanted penance.

He wanted to strip away everything complicated and comfortable about life, To focus entirely on God. As a young man, he decided to make the massive trek to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, which was one of the absolute greatest and most famous pilgrimage destinations of the entire Middle Ages. And remember those heavy iron chains I mentioned earlier? According to tradition, William literally wore chains as an extreme act of penance during this grueling journey. Talk about intense dedication.

But walking across Europe in chains was just the beginning of his dramatic story. Eventually, William decided he wanted to go totally off the grid. So, he traveled down to southern Italy and climbed up a mountain called Monte Vergine to become a hermit.

Now, for those who might not know, a hermit is a person who withdraws from worldly life completely to live in strict solitude and pray. William lived incredibly simply, seeking a total renewal in his faith through his withdrawal from society. He spent his days in quiet reflection and survival in the wild. He is even traditionally associated with the wild creatures of the mountains. In fact, in classic artwork, he is often pictured with a wolf.

But here is the funniest, most ironic part of St. William's story. He went to the top of a mountain to be completely alone. But he was so intensely holy, so peaceful, and so grounded that he became like a human magnet. People heard about this radical, inspiring guy living on the mountain, and they started climbing up to find him. Soon, he had a whole group of disciples who had tracked him down, begging to live under his guidance. William was probably thinking, Guys, I came up here to be by myself.

But instead of turning them away, he accepted the responsibility of leading them. He stepped up to the plate and founded a brand new monastic community. This community on Montevergine became the center of a new congregation known as the Williamites.

William insisted that his monks focus on three main things, strict observance, intense prayer, and hard manual labor. He led by example, living very simply himself and strongly emphasizing humility and obedience among his followers. Because of his massive influence, several more monasteries were founded by his followers. But deep down, no matter how many people looked up to him as a founder, William never lost that quiet, solitary spirit of the hermit who first went looking for God on a lonely mountain.

William passed away on June 25, 1142, at the Abbey of Galato. Though he died centuries ago, he left behind a powerful tradition of monastic life that continued to thrive for hundreds of years in southern Italy. Because of his incredible life's work, he is officially recognized today as the patron saint of the Irpinia region of Italy, hermits, and of monastic reform.

So, what can we learn from St. William of Vercelli today? Obviously, you shouldn't go wrapping yourself in heavy iron chains or running off to live with wolves on a mountain peak. But think about why William went to Montevergine. He wanted to cut out the noise of the world so he could hear God. In our lives right now, it is so loud. Between smartphones, social media, and friend or family drama, our brains are constantly buzzing. We almost never have total silence.

So, today, be a hermit for just 10 minutes. Find a quiet spot in your room, or go sit outside in nature. Leave your phone in another room. Turn off the music. Don't read a book. Don't talk to anyone. Just sit in the absolute quiet for 10 minutes. Let your mind settle, and tell God you are there to listen, just like St. William did. You might be completely surprised by how much peace and clarity you find when you unplug from the noisy world and plug into your faith.

Remember, holiness isn't just for guys living on mountains a thousand years ago. It's for you, right here, right now. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.