Beati Paoli

Beati Paoli is the name of a secretive sect thought to have existed in medieval Sicily and possibly also in Malta. The sect, as described by the author Luigi Natoli in his historic novel I Beati Paoli (written as a series under the pseudonym William Galt in 1909, then re-published as books in 1921 and 1949), resembles an order of chivalry fighting for the poor and the commoners. Whereas the novel is fictitious, Sicily's history bears some evidence that the Beati Paoli existed.

In 1071 feudalism was introduced in Sicily by its conqueror, the Norman lord Roger I de Hauteville. As the nobles started to exploit their feudal rights in the centuries to come, the Inquisition also got a foothold in Sicily. Any action by the commoners that could be interpreted by the state or the church as acts of treason or heresy was punishable by death. Such actions could be unauthorized assemblies or the formation of societies with goals other than supporting the current state/church regime.

In this environment, several orders and sects rose to existence – albeit a secret one. The Beati Paoli was allegedly formed to oppose both the church and the state, defending the commoners from infringements posed by the regime. They wore black hooded coats and operated at night from their refuge in the remains of the catacombs and underground channels of Palermo. It is not known when the Beati Paoli was established, but the novel by Luigi Natoli sets the scene in the first two decades of the 18th century, mainly in the town of Palermo. The origin of the name is also unknown, although some tie it to Francis of Paola, or "Beato Paola".

The Beati Paoli have the same connotation to many Sicilians as Robin Hood has to Northwestern Europeans. Today, traces of the Beati Paoli can be found in the Capo district of Palermo, where a square, a street and a restaurant bear their name. The Beati Paoli have also tradition meanings to the Maltese. A Maltese old saying -"qala' xebgħa tal-beati pawli", meaning "he was beaten up badly (the Beati Paoli way)", may refer to this old sect . Some historians suggested that the Beati Paoli were real and that may have had roots also in Malta (circa the 15th till at least to the early 19th century) and that Malta may have been the sect's last stronghold. Today there is even a small restaurant in Valletta named Beati Paoli and a statue of Saint Francis of Paola is in Saint Elmo Street corner, also in Valletta. There are even rumors that the Beati Paoli still exist today, but whether the sect is still active or not remains a mystery . If so, that would make the Beati Paoli one of the most ancient and most elusive sects in Malta.