Saint Peter Gonzales was born in 1190 into a noble family that hailed from Castile, Spain. Educated by his uncle, the Bishop of Astorga, Peter became a canon at a young age.

As Peter rode into the Spanish city of Astorga to take charge of his post at the cathedral there, his horse stumbled and he was thrown off his seat into the mud in front of onlookers.

This incident led Peter to closely examine his priestly motivations. He humbled himself in front of the Lord through prayer and meditation. As a result, he joined the Dominican order and became renowned for his preaching.

He served as confessor and court chaplain to King Ferdinand III of Castile and accompanied the king on his expeditions against the Moors. He worked tirelessly to restrain soldiers from pillaging after battles and persuaded the king to humanely treat the prisoners of war.

Peter eventually left the court not wanting to return to his old ways, and spent the rest of his life preaching along the coast of Spain to shepherds and sailors.

Saint Peter Gonzales died in 1246 and was canonized in 1741.

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