Saint William of Vercelli (also known as Saint William of Montevergine) was an Italian hermit who, as a pious orphan at the age of 14, walked the Camino de Santiago in mourning for his parents. This transformative experience led him to desire a life of solitude to contemplate God’s natural beauty. While living as a hermit, others began to follow him, which led him to form a community and found the Congregation of Monte Vergine (also known as the "Williamites"). They followed the Rule of Saint Benedict, emphasizing a particularly austere and penitential way of life. According to legend, while he was building a church with the help of a donkey, a wolf killed the donkey. When William discovered this, he ordered the wolf to take the donkey's place and assist with the construction, which the wolf did. He ultimately died a peaceful death.
