The Bread of Life: An essay about San Diego de Alcala

“Oh sweet thy wood and great thy nail, for you have sustained the sweetest weight set upon you. Worthy art thou to carry our Saviour.” These were the last words spoken by Saint Didacus of Alcala or commonly known to us as simply, San Diego. Every November, we are celebrating our town fiesta in his honor in more ways than one. Our town has organized numerous activities every year; including street dance competitions, band exhibitions, exhibits, and the likes. For many years we have participated in these activities, but the true purpose of our celebrations remains unknown to many. Who is San Diego de Alcala? Was he a baker, because he is often depicted holding bread? Why does he hold a cross in his images? Let us find out more about him, how he became a saint, and maybe then we can fully comprehend the true meaning of our celebrations. Diego was a man from Andalusia, a southern region in Spain. Born from a poor family with a very religious outlook in life, Diego grew up to be faithful, humble, and kindhearted. He imitated the ways of Saint Francis of Assisi and lived as a hermit. He dedicated himself to preaching the holy will of God. As a young man, Didacus joined the Franciscan Order at the Convent of Arrizafa in Cordoba. He stayed there as a lay brother and happily accepted his duty. Contrary to our belief, Diego was never a baker. He was associated with bread because he often took bread from the monastery to give to the hungry people outside. His fellow lay brothers grew wary of him. One day, when he hid some bread in his cloak, he was caught and was made to show what’s inside it to embarrass him; miraculously, the loaves of bread transformed into beautiful flowers. He was then assigned to the monastery in Alcala de Henares. There he continued with his service and devotion to the Lord. He passed away on November 12, 1463 due to an abscess. Before his death, he darted his eyes onto the cross and there he softly whispered his last words. Diego