Saint Alexis was born in fourth-century Rome. At the age of six years, Alexis began reading the holy books of the church. He grew up hoping to dedicate his life to God, but his parents decided that instead he should get married.

Alexis’s parents found him a bride from a noble family. The couple married, but Alexis was unhappy. At the end of the wedding festivities, he went to his wife’s room.

He took off his wedding ring and gave it to his wife. “I cannot stay with you,” he said, “because I have given my life to God. Take this ring, and may God’s grace be with us in our new life.”

Then, Alexis went to his room. He took off his fine clothes. Taking a small amount of money, he left his parents’ home without saying a word to anyone.

Alexis wandered the earth. He stayed in foreign lands for 17 years. He was known for his model behavior and for being a Man of God.

One day he was sailing in a ship. The ship got wrecked in a storm off the coast of Italy. Since he was not far from Rome, where he had been born and brought up, Alexis decided to go home.

But he didn’t tell anyone who he was. His family didn’t recognize him because he had changed greatly in appearance in the 17 years that he had been away. Even his father failed to recognize him.

Alexis asked for a place to stay. His charitable father, thinking that he was being kind to a stranger, allowed Alexis to live in a little house in the yard. Alexis lived modestly and unrecognized for the next 17 years fasting and praying to God.

His father’s servants didn’t like Alexis, so they were mean to him. They pulled his hair and dumped dirty water over his head. Still, the Man of God bore it all patiently and asked God to forgive his enemies.

One day Alexis felt that death was near. He asked for ink and parchment and wrote down the story of his life. He asked his parents and wife to forgive him for leaving them to give his life to God.

His wife and parents cried, but they were comforted to know that Alexis had been a very sincere and holy man. He was placed in a marble tomb. It is said that in death he healed many people who visited his grave of their illnesses.