Adolescence and the Studies of San Paolino 
San Paolino di Nola was born as Ponzio Anicio Meropio Paolino in Bordeaux in 354. His was from an illustrious family of consuls and senators, in fact he was the son of the prefect of the Province of Aquitaine. The poet Ausonio, a friend of his father, gave Paolino his first studies. His education was centered on poetry, law and philosophy, at just 15 he had already finished his literary education.

At the age of twenty he was counted among the six hundred senators, and when, in 378, after he left office, he was given the government of a senatorial province, he chose Campania. In Capua he preferred Nola, where he also had some possessions. In the nearby Cimitle, San Felice was revered to whom, before returning to Aquitaine, with a bizarre ceremony, he symbolically consecrated his beard to the Saint.
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The Meeting of Therasia and The Choice of the Religious Path 
In Barcelona he meets Therasia, who will become his future bride. The rich and noble woman, however, was Christian and baptized, and she guided Pauline on the path of conversion. He received the sacrament of baptism at the age of 35 in 389. In 392 Celsus was born from the couple, but the baby died only eight days after his birth, this event marked the life of Paolino, and pushed him to take even more refuge in faith.

During a celebration on Christmas day, the faithful invoked "Pauline Priest!", Thus choosing to take vows. After his ordination in 394, he left to return to Italy, where he made the acquaintance of Sant 'Ambrogio. During a stop in the lands of Tuscany, he and Therasia, who remained by his side, decided to dedicate themselves body and soul to the monastic life. He decided to return to Nola, driven by his devotion to San Felice martyr, to whom he was particularly devoted.

He founded a male and female monastery, mainly with the aim of assisting the poor. He fell seriously ill and recovered after a long hospital stay, according to legend, thanks to a miracle of San Felice, to whom he erected, in place of the previous sanctuary, a basilica, surrounded by aseries of cloisters full of colonnades and fountains, ready to welcome the thousands of pilgrims who every year went to the tomb of San Felice, in that period his wife Terasia died (presumably between 409 and 414). It is also his work, the first bell tower in the Christian world, equipping it with a bell, San Paolino is in fact the patron saint of the bell ringer.  
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The Sacking of Nola
‍On 24 August 410, Alaric I, king of the Visigoths, entered Rome, sacking it. In the same year, Paul, bishop of Nola, died justwhen King Alaric was at the gates of the city. With a situation similar to that of Barcelona, ​​the people of Nolano invoke “Pauline Bishop!”. Nola suffered heavy devastation and a large part of the population was taken prisoner. Paulinus sold all his assets to redeem the prisoners, and when he had nothing left, he offered himself to the invaders to redeem the only son of a widow. He then came to Africa and sold as a slave, became his master's gardener. Pauline prophesied one day the imminent death of his master's king, and led before the ruler, he was afraid, he recognized Pauline who had appeared to him in a dream, while presiding over a court of judges against him.

When questioned and discovered his office as Bishop of Nola, his master promised him to grant him whatever he asked for, Paulinus replied that his desire was the liberation of all the Nolans with him. The return of the prisoners to Nola took place shortly there after, returning accompanied by ships loaded with grain and landing on the beach of Torre Annunziata. Paolino and the prisoners were welcomed by the Nolan faithful who bring bunches of lilies with them, in memory of this event, the Festa dei Gigli is celebrated every year. The event is held on the first Sunday after June 22, the anniversary of the saint's death in 431.