It happened in the early 1700s, in northern Italy—a time of quiet towns, simple faith, and people searching for meaning after war and loss. In that setting lived Paul Danei, who would later be known as Saint Paul of the Cross.
Paul was only 19 when his life changed. He started to feel a deep love and sadness whenever he thought about the Passion of Christ—how Jesus suffered out of love. That feeling became his mission.
At first, he thought serving God meant becoming a soldier. He even joined a crusade for a short time but later realized that fighting with weapons wasn’t what God wanted from him. He left that life behind and decided to serve through prayer and preaching instead.
By the time he was 26, Paul began writing rules for a new group he wanted to form—a community focused on remembering and sharing the message of the Cross. This became the Passionist Congregation. But around this same time, something painful began: a long period of spiritual darkness.
For more than 40 years, Paul went through a kind of silence from God. He kept praying, fasting, and helping others, but inside, he felt nothing—no peace, no inspiration, no sign that God was listening. Still, he refused to give up. Every day, he continued his mission, believing that faith is real even when you can’t feel it.
He taught that love for God isn’t about emotions but about staying faithful even in silence. People who listened to him were moved, even though he himself didn’t feel anything spiritual at the time.
When Paul died at 81, he left behind a strong community of Passionists who carried on his mission. His long years of darkness didn’t destroy him—they made his faith unshakable.
🕯 What Is “Spiritual Darkness”?
This experience—called spiritual darkness or dryness—is something that only deep contemplatives like priests, monks, and mystics often describe. It’s not depression or lack of belief. It’s when the feeling of God’s presence disappears, even if the person still believes.
I just did some research to understand it better, and scholars say it’s common among people who spend most of their lives in deep prayer. Ordinary people usually feel God’s presence through kindness, beauty, or small everyday moments. But for mystics like Saint Paul of the Cross, their faith happens deep inside—so when that inner feeling goes quiet, it can be confusing and heavy for a long time.
Even if we don’t experience mystical silence like he did, we all go through moments when life feels empty or unanswered. During those times, we can remember that faith isn’t about constant emotion—it’s about continuing to love, to care, and to believe in goodness.
When we see kindness, when we show compassion, or when we choose peace instead of anger—that’s where God’s presence quietly lives.
Maybe some people feel God in visions. Some, in silence. But most of us—just in each other.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
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