Angelo Paoli

A Carmelite priest was beatified today.

Born at Argigliano, Tuscany, Sept 1, 1642; died at Rome, January 17, 1720. The son of Angelo Paoli and Santa Morelli, he was particularly distinguished for his charity towards the poor. As a young man he spent the greater part of his leisure time in teaching Catholic doctrine to the poor children of Argigliano. At eighteen, he was admitted to the novitiate of the Calced Carmelites at Siena. After making his vows he spent six years at his studies, was ordained priest, and appointed to the community at Pisa, where he made rapid progress in perfection. He was subsequently transferred to Cupoli, Monte Catino, and Fivizzano.

Especially devoted to the Passion, he caused wooden crosses to be erected on the hills around Fivizzano (and afterwards in the Coliseum at Rome) to bring the sacred tragedy more vividly before the minds of the inhabitants. In 1687, he was called to Rome and stationed at the Convent of St. Martin. The remaining years of his life were divided between the care of the sick and poor in the city hospitals and the office of Master of Novices. He was called by the citizens “the father of the poor”. Many miracles were wrought by him both before and after his death.

His virtues were declared by Pius VI in 1781 to be heroic, and the general chapter of the order held at Rome, 1908, included his name among those Carmelite servants of God, the cause of whose beatification was to be at once introduced.

A miracle occurred in 1927 and the process for beatification for Angelo Paoli began in 1932. The cause remained inactive although the examination of the miracle by medical specialists had been completed. A cure that is spontaneous and lasting is considered to be a miracle. In this case, the experts concluded that there was no scientific explanation.