present at the death of Paul of the Cross. The founder said to Strambi on his deathbed: "You will do great things! You will do great good!" It was after this that he occupied several high offices in the order such as the rector of the Roman house and the provincial for the Roman province. In 1784 he was relieved of these duties in order to write a biographical account of Paul of the Cross which was later published in London (Blessed Dominic Barberi wrote the preface). The Napoleonic invasion in the Papal States and the anti-religious decrees forced Strambi to flee Rome in 1798, though it was in vain as the French forces in May 1799 took him prisoner. He managed to return to Rome not long after this. Episcopate The death of Pope Pius VI saw his friend Cardinal Leonardo Antonelli nominate him for the papal see and he even received five votes in the conclave. The new Pope Pius VII - in mid-1801 - appointed Strambi as the Bishop of Macerata-Tolentino and he became the first bishop to come from the Passionists. This news - before it was made public - surprised and frightened him and he rushed to Rome in an effort to get the appointment cancelled before it was publicized. Even his good friend Cardinal Antonelli counselled him to accept the nomination for the welfare of the Church. Strambi took his case to the pope who listened and told Strambi the decision to name him a bishop was "a divine inspiration" he was firm on. Cardinal Antonelli presided over his episcopal consecration at Santi Giovanni e Paolo. But he continued to wear his Passionist habit in private despite his higher office. His episcopate was marked with a concern for the poor and he even begged on their behalf on occasion. He took great care in the education of diocesan priests and paid close attention to the teaching standards in the diocesan seminaries. His charitable works included the establishment of orphanages and homes for the aged. He still practiced the frugalities the Passionists advocated and this applied to his living and eating habits: he never did permit more than two dishes for his meals. Napoleon - in 1809 - issued a decree that annexed Macerata as part of the French Empire. The French ordered that this decree be read in all churches but Strambi refused to