Saint Conrad of Piacenza is a hermit of the Third Order who lived from 1290 to 1351 and settled in Sicily, in a cave.
One day, while out hunting, Conrad accidentally set fire to some crops and caused an immense disaster. He fled in haste and returned home secretly.
A poor peasant was seized, accused of being the author of the fire, and falsely convicted of the crime. He was about to be put to death when Conrad, driven by remorse, came forward, denounced himself, and offered his fortune to repair the damage.
This event led him to serious reflection on the instability of earthly goods and happiness. He considered withdrawing into solitude to follow the rule of the Third Order and spend the rest of his life in prayer and penance.
He settled in Sicily, in a solitary cave, where his only bed was the bare ground, with a stone for a pillow; a few raw herbs and a little black bread sufficed for his nourishment.
He had to endure formidable temptations from the devil, but he triumphed over them by redoubling his austerities and sometimes rolling himself in brambles and thorns.
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God glorified him at the same time with the gift of miracles, and the people, touched by his holiness, flocked to his cave to seek the aid of his prayers.
During a famine, angels appeared and brought him food to nourish thousands of unfortunate souls who implored his charity. The bells of neighboring churches, miraculously set in motion, announced to the people the death of this great servant of God.
Saint Conrad is invoked to obtain healing from hernias, because during his life and after his death, he healed a great number of them.
Thus, the good God, who in His tenderness cares for the least of our pains, has endowed the humblest flowers of our countryside with properties to soothe and heal our sufferings, and often, in another order, bestows similar gifts upon those marvelous flowers of heaven we call the Saints.