St. Paul of the Cross (1694–1775) was an Italian priest, mystic and missionary preacher who founded the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, the Passionists, whose members take a special vow to keep alive in the world the memory of the Passion of Jesus. He preached parish missions across central Italy with a crucifix in his hand, guided countless souls by letter, and himself endured some fifty years of spiritual darkness while remaining faithful in prayer. His feast day is October 19 in the General Roman Calendar and October 20 in the United States. Below are his story, Scripture and a prayer to St. Paul of the Cross.
A short prayer to St. Paul of the Cross, written for this page:
St. Paul of the Cross, you found in the Passion of Jesus the greatest proof of God’s love.
Pray that I may never forget what Jesus suffered for me,
and that I may carry my own cross with patience and love. Amen.
Who was St. Paul of the Cross?
Paolo Francesco Danei was born on January 3, 1694, at Ovada, in Piedmont, the eldest surviving son of a struggling merchant family. From his youth he was drawn to prayer and penance. In 1720, after a series of mystical experiences, he received a black tunic from the bishop of Alessandria and spent forty days in prayer, writing the first rule of a new community dedicated to the Passion of Christ. With his brother John Baptist he lived as a hermit and preached, and in 1727 the two were ordained priests in Rome.
The first Passionist retreat was opened on Monte Argentario, on the coast of Tuscany, in 1737. Pope Benedict XIV approved the rule in 1741, and the community grew slowly. Paul preached missions in the towns and countryside of the Papal States and Tuscany, calling sinners to conversion through meditation on the sufferings of Christ. For decades he lived in deep interior desolation, without feeling God’s consolation, yet he directed many others with great wisdom and gentleness. He also founded the Passionist nuns in 1771. He died in Rome on October 18, 1775, and was canonized in 1867.
The Passionist sign
Passionists wear on their habit a black heart with a white cross and the words Jesu XPI Passio, “the Passion of Jesus Christ,” a reminder of the love that led Christ to the Cross. St. Paul’s motto could be St. Paul the Apostle’s (Galatians 6:14, Douay-Rheims):
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
Feast day
The optional memorial of St. Paul of the Cross, priest, is October 19 in the General Roman Calendar; in the United States it is kept on October 20, because October 19 is the memorial of the North American Martyrs.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded the Passionists?
St. Paul of the Cross, who wrote their first rule in 1720 and opened the first Passionist house in 1737.
What is the Passionist vow?
A special vow to promote the memory of the Passion of Jesus Christ.
When is the feast of St. Paul of the Cross?
October 19, or October 20 in the United States.
More prayers
- Stations of the Cross
- Stations of the Cross by St. Alphonsus Liguori
- Sorrowful mysteries
- St. Gemma Galgani
- Chaplet of the Five Holy Wounds
- Saint of the day
Texts and sources
- Galatians 6:14 (Douay-Rheims).