February 22 commemorates Blessed Mahomed Abdalá (Maometto Abdalla), a Muslim who converted to Catholicism and received a special gift from San Pedro Nolasco.
In the book “Life of the Glorious Patriarch San Pedro Nolasco” it is said that Mahomed was a relative of the then King Abenjason of the town of Niebla, which at that time belonged to the kingdom of Seville, in Spain. He knew a lot about arts and medicine, but he was also passionate about magic and astrology.
In 1248, Seville was “reconquered” by the Christians and the Mercedarians who arrived in the city. The blessed heard about them and was amazed at what they did for the conversion of people and to rescue Christian prisoners from the followers of Islam.
The Muslim burned his objects of superstition and magic and sought to form himself in the Catholic faith. To be baptized he went to Barcelona, where he met San Pedro Nolasco. The saint imparted the sacrament to him and he received it in the Mercedarian order.
From then on he began to be called Pablo de Santa María and he was sent to help at the San Lázaro hospital in Zaragoza. There he dedicated himself to serving the sick and needy until he left for the Father’s House.