Francis de Sales

Who they were

Francis de Sales was born on 21 August 1567 at Thorens-Glières in Savoy, of the noble family of Boisy. He studied law at Padua to please his father, but was ordained priest in December 1593, aged 26. As provost of the Geneva cathedral chapter he volunteered to win back the Calvinist Chablais, enduring snow, hunger, threats and ambush, and when doors stayed shut he wrote leaflets explaining the Catholic faith simply and slipped them under them.

Made coadjutor bishop of Geneva in 1599 and bishop three years later, living at Annecy, he visited parishes, formed his clergy and reformed religious houses. With St Jane Frances de Chantal he founded the Visitation of Holy Mary in 1610. His Introduction to the Devout Life (1608) taught people living in the world how to love God in their everyday duties, and his Treatise on the Love of God followed in 1616. He died at Lyon on 28 December 1622, aged 55.

The miracles

Pius IX declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1877. He is patron of the Catholic press.

Why that counted as sanctity

Francis showed that holiness is for everyone, not only for monks and nuns: soldiers, workers, married people and rulers can love God with their whole heart in the duties of their state. He won hearts by gentleness rather than argument, and spent himself for his diocese to the end.

Connected on this site

• Andrea Beltrami Saint
  “Largely confined to his room at Valsalice for his last years, he devoted himself to prayer and writing, producing biographies of saints and other devotional and historical works, and beginning an Italian translation of the critical edition of St Francis de Sales' writings.” — this site's research
• Gaspar del Bufalo Saint
  “Gaspare del Bufalo was born in Rome on 6 January 1786, son of a cook at Palazzo Altieri, and gave himself to prayer and penance from childhood; he credited St Francis de Sales with a healing in his youth.” — this site's research
• Jane Frances de Chantal Saint
  “With St Jane Frances de Chantal he founded the Visitation of Holy Mary in 1610.” — this site's research
• John Bosco Saint
  “As a follower of the spirituality and philosophy of Francis de Sales, Bosco was an ardent devotee of the Virgin Mary under the title Mary Help of Christians.” — Wikipedia
• Leonie Aviat Saint
  “Francis de Sales.” — Wikipedia
• Philip Neri Saint
  “He was a member of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, a tertiary of the Order of Minims, and was canonized in 1665.” — Wikipedia
• Alain de Solminihac Blessed
  “He was also a member of the Compagnie du Saint-Sacrement, and acquainted with Vincent de Paul and Francis de Sales.” — Wikipedia
• Anastasio Garzón González Blessed
  “He was beatified on 28 October 2007 by Benedict XVI with Enrique Sáiz Aparicio and 62 companions of the Society of St Francis de Sales.” — this site's research
• Antonio Cid Rodríguez Blessed
  “He was beatified on 28 October 2007 by Benedict XVI with Enrique Sáiz Aparicio and 62 companions of the Society of St Francis de Sales.” — this site's research
• Antonio Fernández Camacho Blessed
  “A professed priest of the Society of St Francis de Sales, he reached the palm of martyrdom on 20 July 1936.” — this site's research
• Antonio Mohedano Larriva Blessed
  “A professed priest of the Society of St Francis de Sales, having shed his blood with great constancy, he gained the eternal reward on 2 August 1936.” — this site's research
• Antonio Pancorbo López Blessed
  “A professed priest of the Society of St Francis de Sales, he was put to death on 24 September 1936.” — this site's research