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 Saint Francis Of Paola: 500th Anniversary of Death Scott 1345-1346 (2007) April 2 marks the feast of Saint Francis of Paola, the founder of the order of the Franciscan Minim Friars. Francis was born in the town of Paola in the southern Italian province of Calabria on March 27, 1416. At the age of 13, after a year in a Franciscan friary, he went on a pilgrimage to Assisi to visit the sites of the order’s founder, Saint Francis of Assisi. He also visited Rome. He then returned home to Paola and began to live as a hermit, living in a cave on his father's estate overlooking the sea. Shortly thereafter, he was joined by some companions, and in 1436 neighbors built a chapel and separate cells for the friars. They were called “Minims” to indicate humility. “Minim” is derived from Latin “Minimus,” meaning “least” or “smallest.” The hermits lived lives of the Franciscan ideals of austerity and charity, and took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, as well as a fourth vow, abstinence from meat. For the most part, the communities remained hidden and isolated from the world, in good part unknown outside their communities. In each Minim community there was only one priest while the others remained brother friars. However, from these roots, additional churches and friaries were built across Calabria and on the island of Sicily. An order of nuns was also established, and, in 1474, the Holy See approved the group as the new Order of Minims. Many miracles were associated with St. Francis during his life, leading to his being called a “wonder worker”. His fame spread throughout Italy and across Europe. He was summoned to France and would spend the last 25 years of his life there at the request of the French rulers, serving as chaplain to the dying King Louis XI. He was also tutor to the dauphin and served as an intermediary to bring peace to the French relationship with Brittany and Spain. He died on April 2, 1507, at the age of 91. As a testament to his life of grace, Saint Francis of Paola was beatified just six years after his death in 1513, and six years later, on May 1, 1519, he was declared a saint, both by Pope Leo X. He is the Patron Saint of Calabria, as well as a patron of seafarers. An impressive work of art showing Saint Francis of Paola is presented below, depicting Saint Francis (on left) and Saint Lawrence with the Blessed Virgin Mary:  "The Virgin in Glory with San Lorenzo and San Francesco di Paola" By Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (circa 1775) From Wikimedia Commons, in the Public Domain REFERENCES: |
