Alonso de Orozco was born in
Toledo on 17 October 1500. He had at least one older brother. As a child he studied music and served in a church choir. He was enrolled in a school in
Salamanca at the age of 14 at the behest of his parents. Orozco became a member of the
Order of Saint Augustine in his 20s and was a spiritual student of
Thomas of Villanova - future saint. In fact the latter preached a Lenten sermon in 1520 which awakened in him a religious calling to life as a priest; his solemn profession was in 1522 on the eve of
Pentecost. He was
ordained to the
priesthood in 1527 and became a noted preacher. He travelled to the missions in
Mexico in 1549 but severe
arthritis caused him to be sent back to Spain where he served as prior of his convent in
Valladolid in 1554. He also served as a preacher to the court of
Charles V and moved with them to
Madrid in 1561. He refused to accept the benefits of the court and reaffirmed his desire to live as a humble and simple monk. He made himself accessible to all of those whom needed his counsel and he spent all available time to visit the sick and those in prisons. He became a noted Spanish and Latinist in writing and he had even compiled histories of his order. He even helped the order establish new monasteries and convents. He fell ill with a fever in August 1591 and his health took a sharp decline. He died on 19 September 1591. News of his death spread and drew countless to his funeral. ==Canonization==