Francis Caracciolo

Who they were

Ascanio Caracciolo was born to a noble, rich family at Villa Santa Maria near Chieti and loved the Eucharist and Our Lady from childhood. At 22 he was struck by a disfiguring disease and vowed to give up worldly wealth if healed; he recovered and two years later was ordained. He served the sick in hospitals and prisoners, and in 1588 joined a confraternity serving the condemned in Naples.

A letter meant for a namesake reached him by mistake; he took it as a sign, and with Agostino Adorno and Fabrizio Caracciolo founded the Clerics Regular Minor, adding a fourth vow to refuse all Church honours. He took the name Francis and promoted perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He died on pilgrimage at Loreto on 4 June 1608.

The miracles

The miracles examined for his canonisation are not described in the sources we have used.

Why that counted as sanctity

'The saint of the Eucharist' gave up wealth and honours to serve the poorest and to adore Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.