Alexander Sauli

Saint Alexander (Alessandro) Sauli was born in Milan on February 15, 1534, into a noble Lombard family and received an excellent education at Pavia. While still a young man serving as a page at the court of Emperor Charles V, he felt a stronger call to Christ and sought admission to the Barnabites. Tested publicly in Milan by carrying a great cross and preaching on love of God and renunciation of the world, he embraced religious life with humility and was ordained a priest in 1556. In Pavia he became a gifted preacher and teacher, fostering frequent Communion, the Forty Hours devotion, and solid catechesis. His zeal for forming minds and hearts led him to found schools and guide students with a disciplined, faith-filled approach to learning. In 1571 Pope Pius V appointed him bishop of Aléria in Corsica. There he rebuilt churches, founded colleges and seminaries, and renewed the Church despite danger from corsairs, earning the title “Apostle of Corsica.” Named Bishop of Pavia in 1591, he died at Calosso on October 11, 1592. He is patron of Calosso. His feast day is October 11.