He was born in the town of Paola, in the Calabria region, in southern Italy, in 1416 AD, to pious parents. Motivated by his intense love for the crucified Christ, since his youth he desired to retire and devote himself to a life of prayer and austerity. He established an association for ascetic life, known as the “Frati minimi”, because he followed the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, whose monks were called “Frothers Minor”. The