Andrew Abellon, Bl.
ANDREW ABELLON, BL.
Dominican teacher, reformer, and artist; b. Saint-Maximin-la-Saint-Baume, France, c. 1375; d. Aix, France, May 15, 1450. He joined the dominican order in his native village and taught philosophy and theology in various Dominican priories until 1408, when he became master of theology. From 1408 to 1419 he devoted himself exclusively to preaching in southern France, but found time to minister to the victims of the plague that broke out at Aix in 1415. While prior of saint-maximin (1419–22 and 1425–29), he restored observance in that house and completed and embellished its buildings. As vicar of observance appointed by Master General Bartholomew Texier (d. 1449), Abellon introduced reform in the priories of Aix, where he was prior from 1438 to 1442, and Marseilles, where he was prior from 1444 to 1448. An artist, he used his talents to teach the eternal truths by paintings. He was beatified in 1902.
Feast: May 17.
Bibliography: h. m. cormier, Le Bienheureux André Abellon (2d ed. Rome 1902). d. a. mortier, Histoire des maîtres généraux de l'ordre des Frères Prêcheurs, 8 v. (Paris 1903–20) 4:145, 193–210. g. gieraths, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner, 10 v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 1:513.
[a. h. camacho]