Francisco

Who they were

Francis was born at Paola in Calabria on 27 March 1416. Cured as a child of a serious eye infection after his parents prayed to St Francis of Assisi, he wore the Franciscan habit for a year in thanksgiving at the convent of San Marco Argentano. On pilgrimage to Rome, troubled by the luxury of the papal court, he remarked, 'Our Lord did not go about like this.'

Back at Paola he lived as a hermit on family land, others joined him, and from them grew the Order of Minims, friars, nuns and tertiaries living a life of penance.

The miracles

He was canonised only twelve years after his death by Leo X, whose election he is said to have foretold when the future Pope was a child. In 1562 Huguenots broke open his tomb and burned his body, which they found incorrupt.

Why that counted as sanctity

Francis chose to be 'least' of all, living and founding an order of lifelong penance and humility, in a Church too often tempted by splendour.

Connected on this site

• Francis of Assisi Saint
  “He was named after Francis of Assisi and like him (but unlike most founders of men's religious orders) Francis of Paola was never ordained a priest.” — Wikipedia