Francesco di Paula

Francesco di Paula (1416-1507), also St Francis of Paola, was an Italian Roman Catholic friar, who was founder of the order of the Minims, born at Paula, in Calabria. He was trained in a Franciscan convent, but at the age of 19 took up his abode in a cave, where the severe purity and piety of his life attracted to him many disciples. Subsequently he founded an ascetic brotherhood, first called the Hermits of St. Francis of Assisi, but afterwards changed to Minim-Hermits of St. Francis of Paola. He eventually lived in France, where convents were built for him and his brotherhood under royal patronage.

Nearby pages
Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi, Francesco Petrarch, Francesco Puccinotti, Franceso Borgia, Francesque Michel