PAUL OF THE CROSS, Saint. - Founder of the Passionists, in the world Paolo Francesco Danei, b. at Ovada (Alessandria) on 3 Jan. 1694, d. at Rome on 18 Oct. 1775. At the age of 19, hearing a sermon by the parish priest, he felt deeply moved and resolved to give himself entirely to the service of God: this was his "conversion," as he called it. Seized by the desire to die for the faith, at the age of 21 he enlisted as a volunteer in the army of the Republic of Venice, which was preparing an expedition against the Turks, encouraged and blessed by the Pope; but while praying in a church before the Blessed Sacrament exposed for the Forty Hours, he realized that other were the battles to which God destined him. Having returned to Castellazzo, where his family had moved, he undertook a life of extraordinary penance and prayer.
On 22 Nov. 1720 he was clothed by Msgr. Francesco M. Arborio di Gattinara, bishop of Alessandria and his spiritual father, in the black tunic of penance that was to be the habit of the new Institute, which he was called by God to found. Having then withdrawn for 40 days into a poor little room adjoining the church of St. Charles in Castellazzo, he wrote in five days the Rules of the new Institute, without having read any others before, but with such an abundance of heavenly light that it seemed to him that someone was dictating them to him.
In 1721 P. went to Rome to implore from Innocent XIII the approval of the Rules, but on seeing him so miserably dressed, he was turned away by an officer of the court. P., having returned to Castellazzo to fetch his brother Giovanni Battista, withdrew with him to Mount Argentario, which was to be the cradle of the new Institute, renewing there the penances of the ancient Thebaid. On feast days they would go down to the villages below to instruct the faithful in Christian doctrine and to inflame them with holy exhortations, especially reminding them of the passion of Christ.
In the Holy Year 1725 they obtained orally from Benedict XIII permission to gather companions; in 1727, finding themselves again in Rome, occupied in serving the sick in the hospital of St. Gallicanus, they were both ordained priests by the same Pontiff in the Vatican Basilica. As soon, however, as they saw themselves free to follow their vocation, they returned to Mount Argentario and began the missionary life properly so called, with missions to the people and spiritual exercises for the clergy and religious communities, returning from time to time to solitude to reinvigorate the spirit in prayer and penance. God did not delay in sending them fervent companions, with whom P. was able to establish the envisioned Congregation of the Passionists. He saw the Rules approved successively by Benedict XIV, Clement XIV and Pius VI. Besides the Congregation of the Passionists (v. CHIERICI SCALEI DELLA S.MA. CROCE E PASSIONE DI N. S. GESÙ CRISTO), he also founded a female institute of strict enclosure, the Passionist Nuns (v.).
Not only, however, as founder, but also as missionary, mystic and spiritual director, he merits special consideration. As a missionary, for about 40 years he made his voice heard in cities and villages of Tuscany and Latium, spiritually renewing entire populations.
As a mystic, he may be numbered among the most illustrious of the Church, as is already revealed by his diary, written by order of Msgr. Gattinara during the forty-day retreat at Castellazzo, in 1720. Three periods can be distinguished in his mystical life: from the age of 19 to 31 he passes through all the degrees of contemplation, up to being favored with the spiritual "marriage"; from 31 to 76 he agonizes in an interior martyrdom of darkness and horrible desolations, sharing in the abandonment of Jesus on the Cross; from the age of 76 to his death his sufferings diminish and he begins to foretaste the joys of Paradise. His union with Jesus Crucified was sealed by the instruments of the Passion imprinted on his heart. To be noted in his mystical life are the continual prayers and tears for the conversion of England.
As a spiritual director, he led very many souls to high perfection, and the two thousand and more letters he left are a precious mine of teachings, suited to every kind of person, recommending above all, as an introduction to every degree of the mystical scale, the daily meditation on the sufferings of Jesus, since it is "the door that leads the soul to intimate union with God, to interior recollection and to the most sublime contemplation" (Lett., I, 582).
The reputation of sanctity accompanied him throughout his life, not only among the common people, but also among bishops, cardinals and popes. Clement XIV called him "his papa" and visited him when he was ill in the retreat of Sts. John and Paul in Rome; Pius VI also visited him, to whom the Saint foretold the grave tribulations that awaited him.
He died in the aforementioned retreat, at the age of 81. Pius IX canonized him on 29 June 1867. His body is venerated in the basilica of Sts. John and Paul. Feast on 28 Apr.
Bibliography15 works
Giacinto del S.mo Crocifisso