Born in Spain in 1540, San Pascual was a shepherd who taught himself to read and write. He was accepted in the Franciscan order in 1564. In Mexico he is known as the patron of kitchens because legend has it than an angel attended to his kitchen
duties while he prayed before the Eucharist. He is usually shown wearing a Franciscan habit, either brown or blue. His image on retablos in New Mexico post dates World War II and he is associated with gourmet cooking of the American Southwest. He is
the patron of the Eucharist, Italian women, cooking and shepherds and his feast day May 17th