Introducción a la vida devota

He was born in the Sales Castle, of noble family; since he was a child he was a great follower of Saint Francis of Assisi. At age 13 he traveled to Paris to study with the Jesuits. Then he studied Law and Theology, first at the University of Paris and then at the University of Padua. He wanted to be a priest, but he hid it from his father. After finishing his studies, an event helped his ordination: the canon de Sales, Luis de Sales, assisted by the Bishop of Geneva, Claudio de Granier, spoke with the Pope, who appointed him dean of the Geneva chapter. From that moment, he exercised the priesthood with a lot of work and dedication. He took as examples of life Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Philip Neri, with which he develops a cheerful, patient and optimistic personality. His beginnings as a priest he exercised among the poor.

In 1665 he was canonized by Pope Alexander VII. In 1877 he received the title of Doctor of the Church for the eminence of his works and for his exemplary life.

Introduction to the devout life (1604), considered as the classic work of the saint, based on the letters of spiritual direction that the saint wrote to his political cousin, Mrs. de Chamoisyson. In their public aspect take the form of "Letters to Filotea", name that actually refers to who reads the book, and that achieved a great arrival to the public of all kinds, for the spirituality that shaped and the psychology that handled.