Nicholas of Flüe

Nicholas of Flüe was born in 1417 in Flüeli near Sachseln, in the canton of Unterwalden in Switzerland. Raised among prosperous peasants, he lived a vigorous public life: as a soldier he served in the conflicts of his day, rising to captain, and later became a respected councillor and judge, known for steady conscience and moral integrity. Yet God drew him deeper. After a striking vision that revealed how worldly cares were consuming his purity of heart, Nicholas—with his wife’s consent—left his home in 1467 and embraced a hidden life of prayer. He settled as a hermit in the Ranft gorge, arranging for daily Mass and becoming a sought-after spiritual guide. Tradition remembers his extraordinary fasting for more than twenty years, sustained by the grace he received in worship. Though unlearned, his wisdom helped avert civil war when his counsel to the Diet of Stans in 1481 preserved unity among the Swiss cantons. He died on 21 March 1487, surrounded by his family, and is venerated as patron of Switzerland, as well as of Borgiallo, the Pontifical Swiss Guard, and Vernante. His feast day is September 25.