The Diocese of Corpus Christi celebrated the feast day of St. Vincent Ferrer on Tuesday. He was a friar and preacher who contributed to ending the Great Schism.

"He spent 20 years preaching repentance and penance across Western Europe, bringing many to Christ by his eloquence," the diocese said in a Tuesday Facebook post. "He is the patron saint of builders. St. Vincent Ferrer, pray for us!" 

St. Vincent Ferrer was born in Aragon in 1350, a Britannica report said. He entered the Dominican Order at a young age, and he studied to be a professor of theology. He was hired by the antipope Benedict XIII; however, he quit after five years to engage in mission travel around Europe. 

Ferrer was a popular preacher, and he converted many Jewish people to the Catholic faith, Britannica said. Additionally, he was dedicated to ending the Great Schism, and he attempted to convince Benedict XIII to relinquish his papal claim. 

The Great Schism lasted from 1378 to 1417. During that time, there were two rival Catholic popes. The schism began with the election of Pope Urban VI, who some cardinals decided was "hostile." Those cardinals broke off from the group and elected Clement VII to be their pope, calling Urban VI illegitimate.

The notion of two rival popes, with each one denouncing the other, sparked confusion and "resulted in a tremendous loss of prestige for the papacy," Britannica said. 

Ferrer helped to elect Ferdinand I king of Aragon, and he then convinced Ferdinand to stop supporting Benedict. 

With Pope Martin V's election in 1417, the Great Schism officially ended. Ferrer spent the remaining two years of his life preaching in France. 

St. Vincent Ferrer is the patron saint of builders, businessmen and reconciliation, a report from Franciscan Media said. His feast day is celebrated on April 5.