Pascual Bailón (1540–1592)

Biography

The son of poor settlers, until he was 20 he was a strange shepherd who carried pious books and an image of the Virgin carved in wood in his satchel. In 1561 he entered the order of San Francisco as a lay brother. He was a porter, cook, gardener and beggar and apart from his ecstasies and miracles, his life developed in a dignified, but monotonous manner. He did what he was told and went where they sent him, so much so that many convents disputed him and he went through several of them that way. Eight volumes of 1000 pages are preserved in Rome with the proof of all his miracles. His characteristic feature is his devotion to the Eucharist and it is said that he spent as much time as possible in front of the tabernacle and the rest of the day during his work he spent his time saying ejaculations.