Benedict Joseph Labre was an 18th-century French mendicant and saint who chose a life of wandering pilgrimage over monastic seclusion. Born in Amettes to a prosperous family, he initially sought to join various religious orders, including the Trappists and Cistercians, but was repeatedly rejected due to his delicate health. Instead, he embraced the life of a Franciscan tertiary, traveling on foot to major European shrines. He lived in extreme poverty, subsisting through begging while dedicating himself to prayer and Eucharistic adoration.