St. Francis di Paola was born to March 27, 1416. His parents had been childless for many years and decided to pray to St. Francis of Assisi, of whom their first son was named after. St. Francis of Assisi interceded for them, and they were blessed with two sons. The saint helped St. Francis di Paola again when he was a young child. One of his eyes had been badly swollen, endangering his eyesight. His parents had promised St. Francis of Assisi that he would spend a year with the Franciscans if he were healed, which he was. When he turned 13, he spent a year with the Franciscans. When he went home to his parents a year later, he pilgrimaged with his parents to Assisi, Rome, and other places. Returning home, he decided to live in a cave in a life of solitude. St. Francis de Paola decided to found the Roman Catholic Order of Minims. His feast day is celebrated on April 2 each year. St. Francis di Paola is the patron saint of Calabria; Amato; La Chorrera, Panama; boatmen, mariners, and naval officers.
The statue stand 12" tall and weighs 1.8 kg.