Giacomo Gaglione was an Italian writer and a member of the Third Order of Saint Francis who lived from 1896 to 1962. Born in Marcianise, he suffered from ankylosing spondylitis from a young age, which left him bedridden with paralyzed legs. Rather than seeking a physical cure, he embraced his condition as a spiritual mission following a meeting with the mystic Padre Pio. He eventually founded the Apostolate of Suffering, an organization dedicated to providing spiritual support to the sick, and authored several books documenting his faith.