The Franciscan Sisters of Saint Elizabeth were founded by Saint Ludovico of Casoria, O.F.M. with the assistance of Margherite Salatino in Naples, Italy in 1862. Margherite Salatino not only served as co-foundress but was also the first Superior General of the Congregation. Our Congregation received its final Papal Approbation on July 16, 1943.
Originally Saint Ludovico’s women’s congregation was known as the Bigie or Gray Sisters. After observing the good works of some Elizabethan Sisters, Saint Ludovico placed his new community under the protection of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, the Queen Patroness of the Franciscan Third Order.