The Passionists, officially known as the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ (CP), are a Catholic clerical religious congregation for men founded by Saint Paul of the Cross (Paolo Francesco Danei) in Italy in 1720. Their charism, or special emphasis, is devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ – His sufferings and death on the Cross – as the greatest sign of God's love for humanity. They seek to keep alive the memory of Christ's Passion through their commitment to community, prayer, ministries of the Word (preaching missions and retreats), and service to those who suffer.

The Passionist habit is a black tunic and mantle with a leather belt and rosary. A distinctive heart-shaped badge on their tunic and mantle bears a white cross and three nails with the inscription "Jesu XPI Passio" (Passion of Jesus Christ).

Over the centuries, the Passionist Congregation has produced a number of saints and blessed individuals whose lives exemplify their unique spirituality.

Here are some of the most notable Passionist saints:

1. Saint Paul of the Cross (1694-1775): Founder of the Passionists

Born Paolo Francesco Danei, he founded the Congregation of the Passion after profound mystical experiences, including visions that inspired the Passionist habit and their charism.

He believed that the Passion of Jesus revealed "God's greatest gift of love for us" and that this love was being forgotten. He emphasized a rigorous life of prayer, penance, and evangelization, focusing on the salvific power of Christ's suffering.

He also founded the Passionist Nuns (Nuns of the Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ).

2. Saint Gabriel Possenti of Our Lady of Sorrows (1838-1862): Patron of Youth

Born Francesco Possenti, he was a vibrant and popular young man who surprisingly left a promising secular life to enter the Passionist novitiate.

He lived a short but intensely spiritual life, characterized by profound devotion to the Blessed Mother, especially Our Lady of Sorrows, and a deep love for the Passion of Christ.

He died of tuberculosis at a young age but left a powerful legacy of holiness, particularly for young people seeking God's will.

3. Saint Vincent Strambi (1745-1824): Bishop and Confidant of Popes

A close disciple of St. Paul of the Cross, he became a renowned preacher and bishop.

He served as Bishop of Macerata and Tolentino and was known for his zeal, austerity, and deep pastoral care, particularly during periods of political upheaval, including the Napoleonic era, where he bravely resisted attempts to control the Church.

4. Saint Gemma Galgani (1878-1903): Mystic and Stigmatist

Though not a professed Passionist nun, she is deeply connected to the Passionist spirituality as a "spiritual daughter" of St. Paul of the Cross and was guided by Passionist confessors.

She experienced profound mystical phenomena, including visions of Jesus and Mary, and bore the stigmata (wounds of Christ's Passion). Her life was marked by intense suffering and profound love for the Crucified Christ.

5. Saint Maria Goretti (1890-1902): Martyr of Purity

While not a Passionist in a formal sense, Maria Goretti received her First Holy Communion instruction from Passionist priests. Her story is strongly promoted by the Passionists, and she is often associated with their spirituality due to her heroic martyrdom for purity, which they view as a profound reflection of Christ's sacrifice.

She was murdered at a young age while defending her purity and famously forgave her attacker before she died.

6. Blessed Dominic Barberi (1792-1849): Pioneer of the Passionists in England

An Italian Passionist, he was instrumental in establishing the Passionist Congregation in Belgium, England, and Ireland.

He is particularly famous for receiving John Henry Newman, the renowned Anglican theologian, into the Catholic Church at Littlemore, Oxford, an event of immense historical significance for the Catholic Church in England.

7. Saint Charles of Mount Argus (1821-1893): Renowned Healer and Confessor

Born Johannes Andreas Houben in the Netherlands, he became known as "Father Charles of Mount Argus" due to his ministry in Dublin, Ireland.

He was revered by the Irish people for his holiness, wisdom, and gifts of healing through his prayers and blessings, often in conjunction with the application of blessed water.

8. Blessed Niceforo Diez Tejerina and the Passionist Martyrs of Damiel (d. 1934): Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War

A group of 26 Passionist priests and brothers who were martyred during the Spanish Civil War, persecuted for their faith. They are recognized as a powerful witness to fidelity to Christ even in the face of violent anti-religious persecution.

These saints, and many other blessed and venerable members of the Passionist family, continue to inspire through their lives of prayer, penance, and zealous commitment to proclaiming the boundless love of God revealed in the Passion of Jesus Christ. Their diverse backgrounds and ministries demonstrate the rich tapestry of holiness within the Passionist charism.