(1540-1592)
Pascal was born in Torre Hermosa, in Aragon, on Pentecost Sunday. He was christened Pascua in honor of the feast.
As a boy, Paschal worked as a shepherd for his father. It is said that he performed miracles and was distinguished for his austerity. He also taught himself to read.
At some point Pascal had a vision that told him to enter a nearby Franciscan community. So, he became a Franciscan lay brother of the Alcantrine reform in 1564 and spent most of his life as a humble doorkeeper. Pascal was known for his severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence.
The good Franciscan displayed a deep love for the Blessed Sacrament, so much so that while on a mission to France, he defended the doctrine of the Real Presence against a Calvinist preacher, even in the face of threats from other irate Calvinists.
Paschal died at a friary in Villareal and was canonized in 1690. In 1897 Pope Leo XIII declared him patron of all eucharistic confraternities and congresses.
Adapted by A.J. Valentini from: Online, C. (n.d.). St. Paschal Baylon – Saints & Angels. Catholic Online. Retrieved May 9, 2021, from https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5230