Alphonsus Maria de Liguori was an 18th-century Italian bishop, theologian, and lawyer who became a significant figure in Catholic spirituality. Born in Naples in 1696, he abandoned a successful legal career to enter the priesthood, eventually founding the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Redemptorists, in 1732. As the Bishop of Sant'Agata de' Goti, he was known for his devotion to the poor and his efforts to reform the clergy. A prolific writer and composer, he remains a highly influential figure in moral theology and devotional practice.