March 21 Groom, father, politician, hermit 1417 - 1487

by Michele Gatta

A native of the canton of Obwalden, he soon entered the Benedictine monastery of Engelberg. The prior, a friend of his, spoke to him about the "Friends of God", a religious movement that arose in Alsace which, by practicing an evangelical life, wanted to give an impetus to the renewal of the Church.

Nicola was admired and felt that his path was to form a family, and so he married one of them, Dorotea Wyss who in the 23 years of marriage bore him ten children. 

When he was still sixteen years old he was required by law to enlist as a soldier and from 1433 to 1460 he took part in many military campaigns as an officer. As a military commander he distinguished himself "for his humane treatment of the defeated enemy, for sparing churches and convents, for protecting women and children". 

Returning to civilian life, he was elected mayor of Sachseln, cantonal councilor and judge and deputy to the Federal Diet. He did not know how to read or write, but he possessed "the wisdom of the heart" and for this reason he was listened to. 

They were months of suffering, as he felt the call to leave everything and take up a hermit's life. After a walk with his confessor, he presented his decision to his wife Dorotea, who was no less saintly than her husband, agreed and replied that she would help him. His children also accepted. Having returned to his land, he settled in Ranft in a cave in a deep ravine near Flüeli. The fellow villagers adapted for him a very small chapel and a cell with two windows: one towards the chapel and the other towards the city. He led a very severe hermitic life: he did not eat food, ate only the Eucharist and only went out to go to Mass or help his fellow citizens. Three times his intervention prevented war from breaking out: with Austria in 1473, between the cantons in 1481, with the city of Constance in 1482. On another occasion he had the authorities of Bern write: «Strive to be obedient towards each other."

However, not everyone thought they were dealing with a saint and much criticism came to the bishop of Constance. He sent his auxiliary who ordered him to eat bread and wine: the saint had the impression that he could die of suffocation, since he had not eaten for so many years. 

For nineteen and a half years brother Nicholas lived in the Ranft hermitage until March 21, 1487, when God called him to himself. For Switzerland the "father of the country" died, for the Church a saint rose to heaven.