FRANCIS OF PAOLA, SAINT, 1416-1507; b. Calabria; founder of the order of Minims. At an early age, for reasons unknown, he retired to a cave by the sea-shore near his native town, and gave himself wholly to a hermit'S life, following the example St. Francis, having no bed but the bare rocks, and no other food than the herbs which he gathered in the neighboring woods, or which were sometimes brought to him by his. friends. He was joined by some, other enthusiasts like himself, and the building of a. chapel, in 1436, is generally considered as marking the beginning of the Minimite order. At that time, however, and for many years afterward;, they were mere Eremites of St. Francis, and did not claim to be distinguished from other Franciscans unless by a stricter fidelity to ,thq common principle§ of the order. In eighteen., years, the little community had increased Much hi number and in popularity, that it was able to, command sufficient funds to build a large church and monastery in 1454. In 1469, owing to reports which lie had received, pope Paul II. sent one of his chamberlains into Calabria to ascertain the actual condition of matters at Paola; the account brought back by him was highly favorable, and resulted in the incorporation of the order of the Eremites, Francis being appointed first " corrector" or superior-general. In addition to the usual vows, a special rule was made, which pledged the members to the observ ence of a perpetual lent. During the following years, several new convents were founded in Calabria and Sicily; and the fame of Francis for sanctity and miraculous powers increased daily. When Louis XI. of France was seized with his last illness, he
despatched a special message to beg of the holy man that lie would come and restore to health. But it was not until lie had been commanded by pope Sixtus IV., that Francis could overcome his reluctance to undertake so long a journey on so doubtful an errand; and on his arrival at Plessis-les-TouEs, in April, 1782, he replied to the king's entreaties for his intervention to prolong his life, that the lives of kings had their appointed limits, that God's decree was unchangeable, and that for his majesty nothing remained to be done but to resign himself to the divine will and prepare for death. At the request of Louis, Francis remained at Plessis, where he was treated with great respect by that sovereign, and also by his successor, Charles VIII. In 1501-2, a new and stricter constitution was granted to the order by Alexander VI., who at the same time conceded all the privileges and immunities enjoyed by the other mendicant orders, and bestowed upon the Eremites, at the urgent request of Francis, the distinctive name of "Mininai," which has ever since been retained by them. At the same time a lay order of "tertiaries" was sanctioned, under a special rule. In 1506, the fourth vow (to •observe a perpetual lent) was made more definite and stringent in its character by .Julius II.