Saint Paul of the Cross, born Paul Francis Danei, was born in 1694 near Genoa, Italy of a family of merchants and as a young man assisted his father in the family business. While he always lived a devout and austere Catholic life, he enlisted in the army at age 19, but left the following year.
Devotionally, Paul always found solace in meditating on Christ crucified and in 1720 experienced three mystical visions during which he was instructed to found a religious congregation.
For a period of forty days Paul retreated into solitude to write a rule of life for what would eventually become the Passionists, a religious community who center their lives on proclaiming the great love of God for every human soul as manifested through the Sacred Passion of Jesus Christ.
St. Paul of the Cross was eventually ordained a priest in 1727, spent the remainder of his life meditating upon, writing about and preaching about how the Passion of Jesus Christ is the key to interpreting, understanding and believing in the depths of God’s love for all us.
Our Patron died in Rome on October 18, 1775.