Saint Joseph Calasanz, Sch.P. (Spanish: José de Calasanz; Italian: Giuseppe Calasanzio), (†1648), also known as Joseph Calasanctius and Josephus a Matre Dei, was a Spanish Catholic priest, educator and the founder of the Pious Schools, providing free education to the sons of the poor, and the Religious Order that ran them, commonly known as the Piarists. He was beatified on in 1748, by Pope Benedict XIV and canonized by Pope Clement XIII in 1767. On August 13, 1948, Pope Pius XII declared him to be the "Universal Patron of all Christian popular schools in the world." His feast day is celebrated on August 25.
Change language to English