From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Cajetan
Saint Cajetan
Born	October 1480, Vicenza
Died	August 7, 1547, Naples
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	1629
Canonized	April 12, 1671
Feast	August 7
Patronage	workers; gamblers; job seekers; unemployed people
Saints Portal

For the cardinal, see Thomas Cardinal Cajetan. For Saint Cajetan Catanoso, see Gaetano Catanoso.

Saint Cajetan, born Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene, also Thiene (October 1480 - August 7, 1547) was a Catholic saint, the founder of the order of the Clerics Regular, better known as the Theatines. He is not to be confused with his contemporary, Thomas Cardinal Cajetan.

St. Cajetan was born in Vicenza, then part of the Republic of Venice. Cayetano's parents were Gaspar, Count of Thiene, and Maria Porto.

Predisposed to piety by his mother, he studied law in Padua, receiving his degree as doctor utriusque juris (i.e., in civil and canon law) at age 24. In 1506 he worked as a diplomat for Pope Julius II with whom he helped reconcile the Venetian Republic. This history aside, he did not advance to the priesthood until 1516.

Recalled to Vicenza in the following year by the death of his mother he founded a hospital for incurables there. His interests were as much or more devoted to spiritual healing than the physical kind. He intended to form a group that would combine the spirit of monasticism with the exercises of the active ministry. The death of Pope Julius in 1513 led him to withdraw from the court, founding an order based on these ideals, the Oratory of Divine Love.

This new congregation was canonically erected by Clement VII in 1524. One of his four companions was Giovanni Pietro Carafa, Bishop of Chieti (in Latin, Theate), afterwards Paul IV, who was elected first superior, and from whose title arose the name Theatines. The order grew at a fairly slow pace, however. There were only 12 Theatines during the sack of Rome in 1527. That event is said to have seen them harassed by anti-Catholic forces, causing them to flee to Venice where he met St. Hieronymus Aemiliani. He assisted Hieronymus in the establishment of his Congregation of Clerks Regular. In 1533 he founded a house in Naples which aided those who wished to check the advances of Lutheranism. The year 1540 found him in Venice again and from there he extended his work to Verona.

Despite successes, he died of grief in Naples. His beatification came in 1629. On April 12, 1671, Cayetano was declared Saint together with Rosa of Lima, Luis Beltrán, Francisco de Borja and Felipe Benicio.

The Catholic Church keeps his feast on August 7. He is the patron saint of the unemployed and of job seekers.

Saint Cajetan has been one of the main cults of worship in the Roman Catholic Church in Argentina. He is known in Argentina as the Patron of Work (Spanish: Patrón del trabajo). San Cayetano Church in Buenos Aires' Liniers neighbourhood is visited every August 7 by millions of devoted people claiming work.

• Religion in Argentina

• Theatines

Saints Portal

• Catholic Encyclopedia article
• (Spanish) Biography