On January 20, the Carmelite Order celebrates the memory of Blessed Angelo Paoli. The day is celebrated as an optional memorial in the Order but as an obligatory memorial in the Italian provinces.
His life can be divided into two periods: the years spent in his religious province of Tuscany, and those spent in Rome. The second part he spent, first, as novice-master, then as bursar, sacristan and organist, and also as director of the conservatory for girls
Wherever he had worked, he had given a fine impression as a religious steeped in silence, prayer and mortification, but, above all, given to the works of charity, both spiritual and corporal, in favor of the sick and the poor — so much so that at Siena they gave him the name of "Father Charity."
A conference examining the life of Blessed Angelo Paoli was held in Rome on November 12, 2022. The meeting took place at the parish hall of the Carmelite church of Santa Maria in Traspontina. Entitled “Behind the Scenes” the speakers examined various aspects of the Blessed’s very active life. The overall scope of the conference was to present new aspects of Blessed Angelo Paoli that have emerged from the latest archival research.
Through his ministry of visiting Roman hospitals, Angelo had a great impact on the way those without financial resources were dealt with. He established a convalescent home for those poor who were left to care for themselves after leaving the hospital. His charity to the poor of Rome became noted and valued even by the wealthy and powerful whom he constantly encouraged to join him in his ministry.
Marco Papasidero, who recently published a book on the miracles of San Angelo of Licata, gave a presentation on the miracles and the healing practices attributed to the Blessed. Simona Serci of the General Archives spoke about the social network that Angelo created during his 32 years in Rome. Carmelite Matteo Antollini, a student at CISA, presented on the witness to his life given by the other Carmelites. Giovanni Grosso, director of the Institutum Carmelitanum in Rome, further developed the topic of Paoli as one of the great men of charity in Rome.
Emanuele Atzori, from Rome’s Archivio storico Maestre Pie Venerini, and Maria Conforti, of the University La Sapienza of Rome, developed the theme of Blessed Angelo’s work hospital work and his convalescent home.
Other presentations included a study of the iconography of the blessed that are in the General Archives of the Order by Ruggiero Doronzo of the Università degli Studi di Bari A. Moro. We are able to include a few examples of these here.
The conference was sponsored by the General Archives of the Order and the Office of the Postulator General of the Carmelites.
