Saint Filippo Benizzi

This painting is part of Romanino’s high altarpiece for S. Alessandro in Brescia. It depicts Saint Filippo Benizzi and is situated to the right of the Nativity, above the panel of Saint Jerome.Saint Filippo Benizzi (1233–1285) was born in Florence. He became fifth general of the Order of the Servants of Mary (the Servite Order) and its chief propagator and organiser. The Servites were a mendicant order who embraced poverty and were devoted to preaching the Gospel and encouraging devotion to the Virgin Mary. The Order was suppressed in 1276 by Pope Innocent V, while Filippo Benizzi was its general superior. He travelled to Rome but Pope Innocent V died before he arrived. Pope Martin IV asked Filippo to go to Forli and attempt to reconcile the divided city, which he succeeded in doing. He is also reputed to have healed a leper by giving him his tunic to wear. Saint Filippo Benizzi’s body is in the church of the Servants of Mary in Todi, Umbria. He was beatified by Pope Leo X in 1516 and made a saint by Pope Clement X in 1671.The church for which this altarpiece was made belonged to the Servite Order. Saint Filippo Benizzi wears the black scapular, tunic and cowl of the Order and holds a lily, which is echoed in the crosier held by Saint Gaudioso, who appears opposite him.