St Igantius of Laconi was born in 1701 to a poor farmer. He grew up to be a delicate boy, thin and pale. The hard labour of farming put a great strain on him and he became very ill when he was 17 years old. He vowed that if he got better, he would consecrate his life to the Franciscans, in the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.

And that he did. For 15 years, he worked humbly behind the scenes. Ignatius was well loved by the poor and the children. He tended to the sick and to street children every day while on his rounds around town.