Francis de Geronimo was an Italian Jesuit priest and theologian born in 1642 in Grottaglie. A dedicated member of the Society of Jesus, he served as an energetic pastor, conducting missions throughout both urban and rural areas of Naples. He was recognized for his concise and powerful preaching, which reached people of all social standings. Although he deeply desired to serve in the Far East, specifically in India or Japan, his superiors directed him to remain in Naples, where he spent the rest of his life teaching and preaching.