Blessed Waldo, Confessor, Third Order - May 8

Waldo, called also Vivaldo or Ubaldo, was a disciple of the saintly Tertiary priest Bartolo. They were both from San Gimignano, in northern Italy. When Bartolo was attacked with leprosy, Waldo offered his services and for twenty years until the death of Bartolo, Waldo rendered him every possible kindness. In return, Waldo received instruction toward progress in Christian perfection from they holy priest, and at his advice joined the Third Order of Saint Francis.

After the death of his spiritual father, Waldo withdrew from the world and lived as a hermit in a large forest several miles from Monteone. He found a hollow chestnut tree and turned it into a cell for himself ,where with barely enough room to kneel, he spent the remainder of his life. In May 1320, the bells of Monteone began to ring of their own accord. The bells continued to ring, although no human hand set them in motion. Soon a hunter came out of the forest and told of finding an old recluse dead on his knees in a chestnut tree. As the hunter finished his tale, the bells ceased ringing. The cell in the tree was converted to a chapel in honor of Our Lady.