Paul of the Cross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintPaul of the Cross |
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Painting of St Paul of the Cross at his birthplace in Ovada, Italy
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| Priest, Founder, Mystic and Confessor | |
| Born | Paolo Francesco Danei 3 January 1694 Ovada, Duchy of Savoy |
| Died | 18 October 1775 (aged 81) Rome, Papal States |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 1 May 1853 by Pope Pius IX |
| Canonized | 29 June 1867 by Pope Pius IX |
| Major shrine | Basilica of SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Rome, Italy |
| Feast | 19 October 20 October (United States) April 28 (Extraordinary Form) |
| Attributes | Passionist Habit, Crucifix |
Paul of the Cross (in Italian: San Paolo della Croce), born Paolo Francesco Danei, was an Italian Roman Catholic mystic. He lived from January 3, 1694, to October 18, 1775. He is famous for starting a religious group called the Passionists.
Contents
The Early Life of Saint Paul
Paul of the Cross was born Paolo Francesco Danei on January 3, 1694. His hometown was Ovada in northern Italy, in a region known as the Duchy of Savoy.
His parents were Luca and Anna Maria Massari Danei. His father owned a small shop that sold everyday items. The family often moved to different towns near Genoa to try and earn enough money. Paul was the second of sixteen children, but only six of them lived past being babies. This taught Paul early on about how uncertain life could be.
Paul went to school in Cremolino, Lombardy, where a priest taught boys. He learned a lot and left school at age fifteen to return home. In his younger years, he taught Christian lessons (catechism) in churches near his home.
A Call to Prayer
When Paul was 19, he felt a strong call to a life of deep prayer. He was inspired by a book called "Treatise on the Love of God" by Francis de Sales. He also received guidance from Capuchin priests. From then on, he believed that understanding Jesus' suffering (His Passion) was the best way to find God's love.
In 1715, Paul left his family's business. He joined a group fighting against the Turks, who were threatening the Republic of Venice. However, he soon realized that being a soldier was not what he was meant to do. He went back to help with his family's shop. On his way home, he stopped in Novello. There, he helped an old couple who didn't have children until the end of 1716. They wanted to leave him all their money and property, but he said no. His uncle, Father Christopher Daneii, tried to arrange a marriage for Paul, but Paul had decided not to marry. When his uncle died, Paul only kept his uncle's prayer book.
Starting a New Community
When Paul was 26 years old, he had several special prayer moments. These made it clear to him that God wanted him to start a new community. This group would live a simple, Christian life and help others understand God's love through Jesus' suffering. It's said that in a vision, he saw himself wearing the special clothes (habit) that he and his companions would wear.
The first name Paul thought of for his community was "the Poor of Jesus." Later, they became known as the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, or the Passionists.
With his bishop's encouragement, Paul began writing the rules for his new community. He did this during a forty-day retreat at the end of 1720. At this time, he was the only member. The community was meant to live a life of penance, in quiet solitude and poverty. Their main goal was to teach people in a simple way how to think deeply about Jesus' suffering.
His first companion was his own brother, John Baptist. Paul and John Baptist believed they needed to be in Rome to get their rules approved. So, they accepted an invitation from Cardinal Corrandini. They helped him set up a new hospital he was starting. The brothers worked hard, providing nursing care and helping both patients and staff with their spiritual needs.
Becoming Priests and Preachers
After taking a short course in theology (the study of religious faith), Paul and John Baptist became priests. Pope Benedict XIII ordained them on June 7, 1727, in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
After becoming priests, they focused on preaching missions in different parishes. They especially helped in remote country areas where there weren't many priests. Paul became known as one of the most popular preachers of his time. People admired both his words and his kind actions. Their preaching and the retreats they led in seminaries and religious houses helped others learn about their mission. Slowly, their community began to grow.
The first "Retreat" (which is what Passionists call their monasteries) opened in 1737. It was located on Monte Argentario in Tuscany. By then, the community had nine members. Paul called his monasteries "retreats" to show that a life of quiet and contemplation was important. He believed this was necessary for anyone who wanted to preach about the message of the Cross. Besides praying together, members of his community were supposed to spend at least three hours each day in quiet prayer.
The simple and strict life of the first Passionists did not attract huge numbers of people quickly. But Paul preferred slow, steady growth over something more sudden.
More than two thousand of his letters have been saved. Most of these letters offer spiritual guidance to others.
Paul of the Cross passed away on October 18, 1775, at the Retreat of Saints John and Paul (SS. Giovanni e Paolo). By the time he died, the group he founded had 180 fathers and brothers. They lived in twelve Retreats, mostly in the Papal States. There was also a monastery of contemplative nuns in Corneto (now called Tarquinia). Paul had founded this group a few years before his death. Their purpose was to remember Jesus' suffering through their lives of prayer and penance.
How He Is Remembered
Paul of the Cross was declared "blessed" (beatified) on October 1, 1852. He was then declared a saint (canonized) on June 29, 1867, by Pope Pius IX.
Two years later, his feast day was added to the Roman calendar. It was celebrated on April 28. In 1962, it was changed to a "Third-Class feast." Then, in 1969, it became an "optional Memorial" and was moved to October 19. This is the day after his death, October 18, which is the feast day of Saint Luke the Evangelist. In the United States, his feast is celebrated on October 20. This is because the US celebrates the feast of the North American Martyrs on October 19.
There is a church in Rome called San Paolo della Croce a Corviale dedicated to Paul of the Cross. It was built in 1983. There are also churches named after him in Porto Ercole, Casone, and Manduria.
See also
In Spanish: Pablo de la Cruz para niños
- Flying saints
- Passionist nuns
