There are several streets and shops in Palermo that bear the name of this mysterious sect, but who were the Beati Paoli? Did they really exist or is it just a legend? We can't give you a definitive answer, but we'll tell you what is known about this secret sect, which is still making waves after five centuries!
The first written evidence of the existence of the sect appears in the early 18th century. From these, one of the most credible suppositions is that the historical origins of the Beati Paoli lie in another secret association, the Vendicosi, active as early as the 12th century and composed of citizens from a lower social class who carried out justice, to defend the people of Palermo from the abuses of the nobility.
