St. Joseph Calasanz, priest, Founder of Piarists

St. Joseph Calasanz (1556-1648) was a Spanish priest and the founder of the Piarist Order, a religious congregation dedicated to providing free education to children. Born in Aragon, Spain, he devoted his life to educating the underprivileged, establishing the first free public school system in Europe. Calasanz was a tireless advocate for education and believed that it was a fundamental human right.