On September 26 1721 a young Paul Danei, encouraged by his spiritual Director and his Bishop, went to Rome to seek an audience with the Pope to approve his new rule for the Order which he wanted to begin and which he had named "The Poor of Jesus".

Paul somewhat naively approached the summer residence of the Pope at the Quirinal, which now houses the President of modern day Italy. The guards and the officials laughed at this "country hermit" and sent him around to the back entrance where beggars received food.

Deeply distressed, Paul found his way to the Church of St Mary Major's and knelt in prayer before this Icon of Our Lady of the Snows, as pictured below.

In prayer Paul made a private vow to God that he would from now on keep alive the memory of the Passion of Jesus and that he would gather companions to do likewise.

And thus the man we know as Paul of the Cross began the Congregation in the Church named The Passionists