St. Paul of the Cross
Founder of the Passionist Congregation

There are three key documents in which St. Paul of the Cross describes his inspirations regarding the Congregation of the Passion that he was to found and nurture.

On the 21st November 1720 he began a forty day retreat alone in the Church of San Carlo at Castellazzo. At the request of the Bishop he wrote an account of his prayer there. In it he describes his personal relationship with the Suffering Jesus on the Cross. 
                            His own words ...

During the same retreat he wrote the first version of the Rule of Life for these religious, who were first called the Poor of Jesus and later the Congregation of the Passion. In the preface to the Rule he described what happened to him the previous summer while lving with his family at Castellazzo.
                           His own words ...

Many years later in 1775 as he lay dying with his fellow religious around him he left them his Last Will and Testament. He laid before them what he considered essential for the Passionist Way of Life.
                           His own words ...