 Ludwig von Pastor rejected the story that he was of Jewish descent, and had been baptised at an early age, taking the name of Johannes Pauli from his godfather.Pauli became Master of Arts in Strasbourg, entered the Franciscans (the "Barefooted"), and delivered his first sermon in Thann in 1479.Two years later, he was sent to the convent at Oppenheim; in 1504 the conventual monastery at Bern desired him as a guardian.