7177124 Saint Jos矇 de Calasanz or Joseph Calasanz. Portrait.; Private Collection; (add.info.: Jos矇 de Calasanz, 1557-1648. Spanish Catholic priest also known as Joseph Calasanz, Joseph Calasanctius and Iosephus a Mater Dei. In Rome, in 1597, he opened the first free public school in Europe and subsequently, with the help of the Piarist religious order, which he founded, opened a chain of Pious Schools which provided free education to the sons of the poor. He later opened other Pious Schools around Europe. He was canonized as a saint in 1767. After a work by Vincenzo ? Santa Maria.); Photo 穢 Ken Welsh. All rights reserved 2022.