April 2, 2022
St. Francis of Paola (1416-1507) was an Italian hermit and the founder of a religious order. As a boy, he accompanied his parents on a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. Deeply moved, he decided to spend his life in prayer and meditation. For a short time Francis was with the Franciscans, but then went off to live as a hermit in a cave overlooking the sea near the town of Paola.
Before Francis turned twenty, he was joined by other young men who wished to…