Saint Paul of the Cross (1694–1775) is a prominent figure of 18th-century Italian and universal Catholicism. His entire existence was oriented toward the contemplation of the Passion of Christ, which he considered the greatest proof of God’s love for humanity and the unique path to the sanctification of souls. Popular preacher, spiritual director, mystic and founder of a religious order dedicated to the constant memory of the Cross, he embodied a rigorous form of spirituality, profoundly centered on the redeeming love manifested in the suffering of the Savior. He was canonized by Pope Pius IX in 1867.
relic of Saint Paul of the Cross on relics.es
Historical and family context
Paul Danei was born on January 3, 1694, in Ovada, Piedmont, into a pious merchant family. His father, Luca Danei, traded in cloth and struggled to support his numerous family under precarious conditions, while his mother, Anna Maria Massari, was a deeply Christian woman who played a central role in the spiritual formation of her children. Paul was the eldest of sixteen children, several of whom died in infancy. From childhood, he showed an extraordinary sensitivity to spiritual realities, which impressed both his parents and his confessors.
Northern Italy at the end of the 17th century was undergoing a period of religious reorganization. The Council of Trent (1545–1563) had laid the foundations for a profound reform of Christian life, but its implementation was still ongoing, particularly in rural areas. Furthermore, the Catholic world was confronted with the rise of the Enlightenment and the growing hostility of a rationalism that tended to dismiss mystical forms of Christianity. In this context, Paul’s vocation assumed a prophetic dimension: to remind Christians that salvation is attained through the Cross, not by reason alone.
Conversion and first calling
Paul’s adolescence was marked by intense spiritual experiences. At the age of 19, after hearing a sermon in the church of Castellazzo, he was deeply moved and decided to renounce worldly goods in order to devote himself to God. He then began a very rigorous life of penance and prayer. In 1715, he had a dream or vision in which he saw himself clothed in a black habit bearing a white heart inscribed with the words “Jesu XPI Passio” (the Passion of Jesus Christ). This mystical sign would later become the emblem of the congregation he would found.
Convinced of his vocation to found a new religious institute, he withdrew to Castellazzo, where he lived as a hermit: fasting, praying, meditating on the Passion of Christ, and receiving many inner lights. There he began to write the first rules of what would become the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, known as the Passionists.
The path to foundation
In 1720, Paul asked the bishop of his diocese for permission to found a religious community. Deeply moved by the young man’s fervor, the bishop gave him his blessing. Paul was then sent to Rome to obtain papal approval. At that time, however, the Church was very cautious toward new foundations, and Paul had to wait many years before receiving official recognition.
In 1727, he was ordained priest in Gaeta, in the Kingdom of Naples, by order of Pope Benedict XIII, who recognized his personal holiness. From that moment on, he began to preach actively in the countryside of Latium and southern Tuscany, organizing popular missions, retreats, collective confessions, and meditations on the Passion. His preaching was marked by its emotional power and doctrinal depth: Paul moved crowds, but also guided them toward a mature faith rooted in the contemplation of the suffering Christ.
In 1741, Pope Benedict XIV officially approved the Rule of the Passionist Congregation. Paul then established his first religious community on Mount Argentario, in a strict and isolated monastery conducive to prayer, penance, and preaching. He also founded a convent of contemplative nuns who shared the same ideal: the Passionist nuns.
A spirituality centered on the Cross
The spirituality of Paul of the Cross is profoundly Christocentric. It is based on the constant meditation on the Passion of Jesus, which he saw as the summit of the revelation of divine love. For Paul, it is in the suffering freely accepted by Christ that God’s infinite mercy is revealed. The contemplation of the Cross is at once a source of consolation, humility, hope, and transformation.
In his spiritual writings, he emphasized the necessity of uniting inwardly with the sufferings of Christ in order to participate in his redemptive work. The Cross is not merely an object of compassion or memory: it is a living reality into which the Christian is called to enter. Crucified love is the royal path to sanctification.
Moreover, his doctrine rested on a profound trust in Providence and grace. He rejected all Jansenism or any form of despairing rigorism. Although he himself practiced great mortifications, he was immensely gentle with souls. In his spiritual direction, he advocated inner peace, abandonment to God, fraternal charity, and the acceptance of trials as means of union with the crucified Jesus.
Spiritual director and mystic
Paul of the Cross was also a master of spiritual guidance. He corresponded with hundreds of people—laymen, priests, nuns, nobles, and simple faithful—to whom he gave counsel and exhortation. His correspondence, partially preserved, constitutes a precious source of spirituality. He addressed themes such as mental prayer, scruples, mystical union, trials of faith, temptations, and supernatural joy.
His own mystical path was marked by extraordinary phenomena: ecstasies, visions, bilocations, but also deep spiritual nights, inner dryness, and struggles against the powers of evil. Several times he experienced periods of great spiritual solitude, which he accepted with firm faith. His humility always prevented him from seeking or valuing these phenomena: he constantly submitted them to the authority of his confessors.
The fruits of his work
At his death in 1775, Paul of the Cross left behind a well-established congregation with more than 180 religious spread over 12 houses. His work would continue throughout Italy and then worldwide, thanks to the missionary zeal of his successors. The Passionists would play an important role in popular preaching, foreign missions, and Christian education.
His influence extended beyond his own order. He inspired many other founders of religious institutes in the 19th century. Moreover, his theology of the Cross influenced spiritual thinkers such as Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Saint Gemma Galgani, and Charles de Foucauld.
Canonization and legacy
Paul of the Cross was beatified in 1853 by Pope Pius IX and canonized in 1867. He is commemorated on October 19 (formerly April 28). He is the patron of parish missions, preachers, spiritual directors, and contemplative religious.
The Passionists continue their mission today in more than 60 countries. Faithful to their charism, they preach retreats on the Passion of Christ, assist the sick and the poor, accompany the faithful in prayer, and work for reconciliation. Their motto remains: “May the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ be always in our hearts.”
Testimony of holiness
What is striking in the life of Paul of the Cross is the unity between contemplation and action. A mystic with a heart burning with love, he was also a man of the people, close to them, attentive to the needs of souls, tireless in his service. He preached powerfully, but he prayed even more. He practiced severe mortifications, but was immensely gentle with those he guided.
His testimony is all the stronger because he never strayed from the Church. At a time when many mystics fell into pride or doctrinal deviations, Paul remained faithful, obedient, and humble. He did not seek human glory, but the conversion of hearts.
Conclusion
Saint Paul of the Cross is a luminous witness to the redeeming love manifested in the Passion of Christ. His life, entirely given to God, brought forth a profound and fruitful spiritual movement. By his example, he reminds all Christians that the Cross is not a symbol of death but a path to life. Where the world seeks to flee suffering, he teaches that when united to that of Christ, it becomes a source of fruitfulness. In an age when the Christian message is often diluted, his prophetic voice still resounds: “O holy nails, O precious Cross, O Blood of a God! There love has said it all.”
