He was born in 1402 or 1404 at Mascioni (Aquila) in a good family and at the age of 14 he joined the Augustinian Monastery at Montereale. In 1431 he studied theology at Rimini and the following year at Padova and at Ferrara. He graduated as a lecturer and obtained his baccalaureate. In 1438 he was sent to the University of Siena to study and explain the books of verdicts and afterwards he taught theology.
In 1453 he became provincial for Umbria, a post he regained in 1471. Along with the work he had as a superior and teacher he used to handle more delicate matters and the Prior General of the Order chose him to reintroduce order and discipline at the convent in Norcia, Amatrice, and Cerreto at Spoleto. He suffered greatly because of his work as a reformer.
As he was the superior and also the prior of studies at Siena, he did not accept another two posts in view of accusations against him which some religious had sent to Rome. The result of these is unknown, but it appears that it appears that a positive assessment on him was made by the General Massari from Cori who was the rector of studies at Perugia and wrote:
“Andrea suffered injustices but was always patient and showed the highest saintly example (maximum ostendit exemplum sanctitatis). Subsequent facts that transpired show that in 1471 he was chosen yet another time as provincial and he had the faith and esteem of senior superiors who continued using his services for strengthening further discipline within the Order.
He spent the last years of his life in the convent at Montereale where he died in April of the year 1479 and he was buried in the Order’s church. Amongst the feasts celebrated there, the main one is that which is celebrated on 13 September, the day when in 1691 he raised his right arm from his grave so as to save the area from an earth tremor.
On 11 May 1764 his cult was approved by Pope Clement XIII.
Fernando Rojo, o.s.a.
—
Acta SS. Aprilis II (Venezia 1738) 612-16 (riporta la “Vita” del Riccetelli del 1581); COTTA, G. B., OSA., Vita prodigiosa del b. A. da M. (Perugia 1776; 2ª ed. Napoli 1824); LÓPEZ, S. – RODRÍDUEZ, M., OSA., De Beato Andrea a Monteregali, OESA. Notate et documenta, Città del Vaticano 1937 (estratto da AA. 16, 113-131); TOMASSINI, M., OSA., Il pastorello di Mascioni: B. A. da M., Roma 1952; TRINCHIERI, R., L’Ordine di S. Agostino nell’Abruzzo Aquilano, Roma 1954 (estratto dal Bull. Della Dep. Abruzzese di Storia patria 3-5, 1941-43, 120,165, 178-200; GUTIERREZ, D., OSA., 1/2 132-133 (it. 205-207); CASTELLANI, C., Insediamenti agostiniani nel reatino, AA. 47 (1984) 249-261; STELLA, V., Un pastorello alla Corte del re. Beato A. da M. Montereale – l’Aquila 1990; Beato A. da M., 1397-1479. VI centenario della nascita, l’Aquila 1997.