On the holy man Brother Paul of Chioggia, priest and preacher

In the early Church that trumpet of the Holy Spirit, Saint Paul, was a great boon to the little flock of the Saviour of the world. After his miraculous conversion he was numbered with the holy Apostles and Disci0les of Jesus Christ because he was full of the Holy Spirit and highly enlightened by God. He was most learned in the Sacred Scriptures and will instructed in all good conduct. Because of this great profit resulted in converting the nations more than for any of the others. As he says himself, “I have striven harder than any of the other Apostles.” It was same with the servant of God, Brother Paul. Because he was learned and a very gracious preacher he was a great boon to the young little family of the Seraphic Father, the Capuchin Reform. As it is said, and most appropriately, when the Congregation was in need this venerable Father helped the holy Reform greatly with his preaching, doctrine and good advice.

This servant of God was from a city in the dominion of Venice called Chioggia. At an early age he gave himself to learning and acquired a good grasp of grammar. He took the written oath and became a notary and he excelled in his profession. However, since he thought that office was very dangerous he left it and became a Priest. In that dress he always gave of himself the very best example. Since he was gifted by God with a fair intellect and was very studious, he returned to his own region for studies in canon law. Within a short time he made great progress in it, however without a doctorate. He became a competent canon lawyer and, just as he told our Friars himself, he had such an authoritative reputation that he became the Vicar of the Bishop.

Nonetheless his mind stayed elevated as he considered the fallacies of this world. As a God-fearer he felt that he did not satisfy the obligation he held with the Lord God as a Priest. Rather he felt drawn by the Holy Spirit to a higher degree of perfection. However since he did not know how to resolve this in any way he gave himself to fasting. Ordinarily he fasted for Lent and the fasts commanded by Holy Church. Very often he read devout books that spoke about the religious life. He conferred with some of his companions about leaving the world and becoming a Religious. However they drew him back from this good desire. However what was more important to him was leaving his father and his mother, especially since they had the heavier burden of four daughters. And there was not much wealth. They were sustained by the work of his father and what he earned himself. Nonetheless his mind remained elevated. Each day he felt the voice of the Lord grow stronger who wanted him for greater perfection. He worried that he may have been at fault in resisting the Holy Spirit.

Finally the good intention prevailed and he decided totally. It came to his mind that he could serve God better and with greater facility by entering some Order. Because he had laid that good foundation in the world he decided to take up the habit of Father Saint Francis in order to suffer more. According to the intention and desire he had, it seemed to him that that Order was more austere. He entered that holy Order and did his novitiate in such an exemplary way that his Master and all the Fathers were highly edified by his great austerity in food, in sleep, in everything. Because he was already a man and a Priest, his Master let him do this. He thought that since he was at the age of discretion he would not have done more than he was able as usually happens with the youths. He fasted most of the time on bread and water during Lent and on all the vigils of Our Lady and the more devout feasts. We wept almost continuously thinking about the time he had wasted. He so applied himself to humility and in doing humble tasks that his Master, because he was a Priest, corrected him because he abased himself too much. However he was so in love with imitating Father Saint Francis who was a mirror of every virtue especially humility, that he came to even greater depths. Later he often had to say that he had never tasted the spirit more than in his novitiate. As soon as he was clothed with the holy habit he was enlightened so highly by God about this holy virtue of humility that god removed from him all those notions that are in the world. If he had habituated in pride, elegance and worldly ways to please the world, he found himself completely stripped of these. Because when he had made his general confession he became like a boy. He was humbled in such a way that he no longer knew how to read or speak. Struck by the hand of God he went out like some one stunned. Consequently in the Province of the Marches where he took the habit in order to distance himself from his homeland and relatives the opinion came about that he would have to turn out to be a great servant of God.

He made his profession. When the Fathers saw that he was well founded in grammar and canon law they assigned him to study, much to his disliking. As he often said, “Study has been my ruin because I was swollen in spirit so that when I would have derived the greatest profit from holy contemplation. However study has held me back considerably.

It pleased the Lord God that within a short time he became quite a good theologian and was made a preacher. Still that desire to despise himself remained with him. Because of this he did not bear much fruit in preaching. This was because he did it against his will. He would have preferred to remain withdrawn, practising fasts and holy contemplation, and preaching to others more by example than with words, according to the intention of Father Saint Francis. Nonetheless the Prelates still had him preach. However that great servant of God felt he could not arrive at a true contempt for self, according to his desire, through the occasions that came with dealing with seculars that the office of preaching requires. So he found himself very melancholy and wept continuously in his heart while he desired to return to those early years. Moreover it seemed to the servant of God that he was not in a true observance of the Rule which, according to our Father Saint Francis, consists in a true contempt for the things of the world, true poverty of spirit and to give oneself wholeheartedly to holy contemplation. Very often he said to the Friars, “We have transgressed by a long way our living according to the purity of the Rule. It says that above everything we should desire the Spirit of the Lord, to pray always to him with a pure heart, and to desire all the things that serve the spirit, study and doing things in so far as they serve the spirit. And we do the opposite. We cut short the spiritual things and attend to the manual things. There we go against the greatest precept that we have in the Rule that is completely ordered unto perfection. Above everything we are obliged by vow to the Rule to practice and tend towards perfection.”

Therefore this was the reason that he came to dislike the lax life. This caused him great affliction, especially because a great temptation, permitted by God, came upon him that occupied him night and day. Although he bore himself as a valiant fighter because of his good spirit and because of the good foundations he had laid, he nonetheless felt very afflicted. On the one hand the Order at that time was very lax. Because Reform was discussed there was little agreement between the lax Friars and the Friars who were zealous about the observance of the Rule. Many disagreements emerged between them, for the flesh is never in accord with the spirit. Rather there is always an inner battle. The servant of God commended himself continuously, opening his heart to the Lord God because he was always to live in perfect observance of the Rule and he desired that some Reform happen. At the time under Clement VII Reform dealt with. It was Clement VII who gave a Bull in its regard to the Zoccolanti Fathers. During that time under this Pontiff he suffered the temptation more than he had ever done.

This was the temptation that the enemy raised against him. His father had died and left his poor mother a widow with three young daughters. Without her husband whom death had taken from her she was going through many difficulties. Similarly she was deprived of her son who had abandoned the world and entered a monastery of Friars. When he saw the suffering of his poor mother and of his stricken sisters he obtained a Brief from His Holiness and left those Fathers and became a Priest again in order to help his mother and to bring his poor sisters to honour. It can be said that he returned to the world as an act of kindness and charity. However he never stopped living as a good Religious and gave the best example to the entire city. He truly reflected every good quality. In his mother’s house he lived in great penance and mortification of his body, for he was very sparing and appropriate in eating as well as everything else. He dedicated himself to contempt for the world. He did not stop making all the Lents and fasts that were kept in the Order. He had his mother take all the alms that were given him and some of the income of his father for the sustenance of the house and in order to make up the dowry of the poor daughters. So because of the great zeal this servant of God, Brother Paul, had for his profession our Lord God always kept his hand upon him. No unfitting word was ever heard come from him. He rarely spoke with people and his speech was always brief and full of prudence so that everyone praised God because of it. And they had wide scope for this because it bore the greatest fruit among the people, since Chioggia was given a man adorned with such virtues.

Now it pleased our Lord God to lead back the wandering sheep of the Lord to the sheepfold of the Order. It happened in this way. When his mother had died and a good start was given to his sisters he was free from that temptation. He withdrew from conversation with people since he no longer had any need for it neither was it of any benefit. He began to do the greatest penance, often fasting on bread and water and dressing in harsh sackcloth. He practised works of piety very much. During that time he established many Associations and Confraternities in that city. He had them work in procuring alms to give to poor persons who were too timid to beg. He had no other room to which to return because he had given everything to his sisters. So in order to practise holy prayer and the divine office he started to stay in a barn where he slept upon the bare boards. Sometime he slept on some of the hay that was there, leading a life as strict as could possible be described. Because of this he caused great wonder in the world. Finally he reconsidered the obligation he had because of the profession he had already made, he decided to enter the most austere Order to be found, where he could go to some hermitage, do penance there and lead an anchoritic life, giving himself strictly t holy contemplation. He commended himself to the Lord God with many tears about this idea. That Divine Goodness who never fails his servants provided for him immediately. For one day he me Brother Angelico of the Fratta di Perugia, who has already been mentioned in another place. Seeing him with that coarse habit and pointed cowl, and he mentioned the hermitage, Brother Paul liked that holy habit very much. He dreamt that might be the occasion that God sent him in order to withdraw into some Order. Hence he had a great desire to know who the Friar was. He asked him to which Order he belonged. Brother Angelico answered that he was a hermit of Saint Francis. When Brother Paul said, “This is not the habit of the Order of Saint Francis,” Brother Angelico replied, “Know that this is the true habit of Saint Francis.”

The sight of that habit in the beginning used to case great wonder in the world. Brother Paul saw him barefoot with that shaggy, short and narrow habit with that new cowl on his head. Brother Angelicus preached a contempt for oneself and carried a wooden cross in his hand. He preached where he saw people assembled. Therefore Brother Paul became a devotee of his, believing him to be a holy man. With great desire he told him that he would willingly become a hermit with him when he had authority from the Supreme Pontiff to receive him. For when he heard him say that that was the habit of Saint Francis he was moved, remembering his profession. When Brother Angelicus told him he had authority to receive him, he was about it. However it was not true since Brother Angelico had taken up that habit on his own accord without having either a Brief or a Bull from His Holiness. Nonetheless when the devout Priest hear this he believed Brother Angelico was telling him the truth. Without seeking anything further he begged Brother Angelico to clothe him and be pleased to receive him into his company. Since Brother Angelico was very keen to increase his sect and make disciples he received him immediately and enjoined upon him to have a habit made by his own means in the shape that he, Brother Angelico, wore it. Because of the great desire he had to be clothed Brother Angelico immediately obtained the coarsest cloth to be found in that region and which they called arabesque. With the habit made, Brother Angelico clothed him with great solemnity. He wanted him to take up again the name he had earlier, which was Brother Paul since in the world he had the name John. Brother Angelico gave orders that he stay in his own city for some days until he had finished preaching in certain places that he had promised.

In order to do things carefully and knowing quite well that hermits are subject to their Ordinaries, Brother Paul went off straightaway to the Bishop of his city and told him in full why he had taken that habit and by whom he had been received. However that good Prelate and Paster who knew the teaching and sound knowledge of Brother Paul very well, was happy that he stay in his diocese. He gave him the office of preaching, wanting like a good pastor that he help him carry the pastoral burden. Where before he served him as his Vicar, now he would be of service as a preacher.

Taking with him the blessing of His Reverend Lordship, he began to preach with great fervour. It was a great surprise for all the people of that city to see him with that lowly and rough habit never seen before. He was barefoot, emaciated and completely pale because of the many sufferings he did. However there were different opinions about him. Some wept out of devotion. They said, “He is a great servant of God.” Others despised him and said, “this man has gone mad from too much penance.” The servant of God did not worry about these things but still tried to mortify himself. After he had preached he went around begging a little bread, living like a poor man.

After persevering in this forge of mortification for many days Brother Angelico called him. After staying for some days with him and with other hermits that Brother Angelico had received, he knew clearly that Brother Angelico had no authority from His Holiness either to be outside his Order or to be able to receive Friars. Therefore he decided to leave him and his other companions, since he regarded them as all apostates, and to come to Rome to seek permission from His Holiness to be able to wear that habit. Since Brother Angelico with his other companions wanted to persevere and do the reform and observe the Rule of Saint Francis, he also sought a Bull for them.

Thus with this good intention he set off directly to Rome. It was the year 1526, in the month of June. And as it pleased the Lord God he passes through the Marches. There he heard that another Friar had just obtained permission to be able to wear the habit that he wore and that he was going around preaching in that habit with the pointed cowl. He heard that his name was Brother Matthew of Bascio. Since Brother Paul knew nothing about this, he felt an increasingly ardent desire to see him since everyone praised his holiness. Having obtained information that Brother Matthew lived in a place in Fabriano he decided to go and find him. When they met they embraced one another with great tenderness and many tears. Neither could speak for a good while, such was the compunction within their hearts because they had met miraculously, both of them with the true habit of the Seraphic Father Saint Francis. Since Brother Paul had been clothed in the Province of the Marches with the Zoccolanti he had heard of the Brother Matthew as a great servant of God, although he had never seen him or met him. Sitting down with great kindness he told him at length all the revelations he had had from God in order to take up that habit again. He told him about all the miracles that the Lord God worked when he was about to speak with His Holiness and when His Beatitude had kindly allowed him to wear that habit. He told him how His Holiness repeated many times, “We want the Rule observed to the letter, just as Saint Francis and his companions observed it.” The servant of God Brother Paul was very happy when he saw how His Majesty had guided him to take up again the true habit of Saint Francis and gave him amply scope to observe the Rule. However when Brother Matthew told him that he did not have permission to receive Friars, but that His Holiness had only allowed him to take up the habit for himself, Brother Paul made up his mind again to go to Rome. Brother Matthew told him that Brother Louis of Fossombrone had gone to Rome to seek a Bull and it was hoped that he should soon return to the Marches. Nevertheless Brother Paul went straight away to Rome hoping to meet Brother Louis along the way. However since Brother Louis had letters of support from Catherine Cibo and since she was the niece of His Beatitude, the matter went quickly and he had returned to Marches with the Bull.

Therefore while Brother Paul was in Rome, for many days he could not have the grace of being introduced to His Holiness. One day, as it pleased the Lord God, as the Pope was leaving the palace Brother Paul was waiting for him with great diligence on the street. Although he tried many times to get near to speak with him the guard always stopped him. However, as someone who desirous to speak with him, he began to cry out in a loud voice, “O servant of the servants of God. I really need to speak with you!” He repeated these words many times and His Holiness heard his voice. As it pleased the Lord God, the good Shepherd recognised it was one of his sheep. He commanded that he be brought before him at once. Having arrived in his presence, kneeling down he said to him with great humility, “Holy Father, I am bound by vow to observe the Rule of Saint Francis. Because I am well informed that what I am wearing is the true habit that our Father and the entire Order wore for many years, I request of you the grace to wear it and that a Bull may be granted for me and for my other companions.” His Holiness answered, “It is not necessary that I grant another permission because I have already granted it and I have issued a Brief on it to one of your companions who are in the Marches. It is not necessary for anyone else to come to me if he wants to join your company. Rather, let him go to the leader to whom I have granted the Brief.” When the said this, the Pope meant Brother Louis.

Hearing this Brother Paul immediately left Rome and came to Camerino. Because the Indulgence of the Portiuncula was drawing near, he spent some days in Assisi. After obtaining the holy pardon he went to Perugia to see the ring of the Mother of God. Then he immediately returned to Camerino. There he found Father Matthew and Father Louis with Brother Raphael his brother. With great joy he told them about the good reception had from His Holiness and he was numbered with the other Fathers, received by Brother Louis. He was the fifth Friar of the Congregation and Brother Louis granted him to preach. He exercised this office with great fervour for he went preaching through the villages, lands and cities of the Marches with so much fervour that he stunned the region. The person who was able to hear the word of God from him felt blessed. Through the words of his servant our Lord God achieved much good fruit. For he established many Associations who went to confession and received Holy Communion once a month and gave many alms to the poor. This was something unusual because at that time anyone who confessed once a year was regarded a good Christian. The servant of God Brother Paul went barefoot continuously, summer and winter. He wore only one habit that was completely patched and against his skin harsh sackcloth. He usually ate only once a day. Most of the time he fasted on bread and water. Since the poor Friars did not have anywhere to live at that time, the poor fellow often stayed in some hospice. He often slept in barns, caves and under trees sometimes. When he was preaching he never wanted meals made for him, but he always wanted to live like a poor man on the things he begged.

In the end he was preaching at Penna di Billi, an honoured land, situated on the outskirts of the province of the Marches and which borders with Romagna. (This place always belonged to the Count of Montefeltro who later became the Duke of Urbino. It never had any other patron.) Father Matthew heard about this and came to visit him. He was his companion the whole time he preached there until his death. Father Joseph of Coll’amato also came to his assistance. Although the house at Pietrarubbia had been established a few days earlier, because there weren’t any rooms suitable for the sick and also because it was a long way away, the Friars did not bring him to that house. Instead, in order to that he might be seen better by a doctor and provided for in the necessary things they took him to the rooms of an Association of Mercy under the title of Our Lady. Still deteriorating he came to the final hour of death. In order to imitate our Lord who wanted to die naked upon the Cross, and just as our Father Saint Francis wanted to die upon the ground, he had himself placed upon the ground. With great fervour he gave his companions a very beautiful and most fervent exhortation to perseverance both in the observance of the Rule and in that initial fervour. With a happy face he countenance and his eyes turned towards heaven he received all the Holy Sacraments. Then he said, “Into your hands Lord, I commend my spirit.” These words were no sooner finished that that very holy soul flew away to heaven. The entire Congregation mourned him. I remember that I was in our house in Foligno when the news came. All those venerable servants of God sorrowed very much. They said, “Our poor Congregation has lost a great servant of God.” The whole region where he had preached and borne much fruit mourned him. The old people testified that they could not remember anyone in their time who had preached and borne as much fruit as Brother Paul.

The passage of this servant of God was in the year 1531 when he was about fifty years of age. The venerable Father Marius sent two Friars to Penna di Billi in order to be better informed of the whole matter, just a he wrote in his Chronicle. They found everything as had been written about his death. Some of those who were present at his passage and who heard his sermons testified to this. Their names were: Don George, Priest, an educated and good person; Mr. Francesco Zulla, and old man of eighty six years; Victor Ravegnano, who was one of the confreres of the Association where Brother Paul died; likewise there was a woman of eighty two years called Lucretia Franchini who said she had often made pesto for him in his infirmity. He was buried in the Church of the Fathers of Saint Augustine in their own tomb.

To the praise and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his most fair Mother. Amen.