A handsome young man does not usually find it easy to escape the ladies who have taken a liking to him. Such was the case with Lancelot Avellino, born in 1521 in Castronuovo, Italy, the eldest son of Giovanni Avellino and Margherita Apelli. On more than one occasion, he found himself in a situation similar to that of Joseph in the house of Potiphar the Egyptian, but the memory of his beloved mother—a woman of extraordinary virtue—kept him from falling into temptation. Nevertheless, the interest of women pursued him at many stages of his life, and he always had to guard his chastity with great vigilance.
Lancelot— that was his given name—aspired to the priesthood. As a subdeacon, he taught catechism to children, guiding them toward a pious life. But the advances of the female sex did not cease, so he fled to Naples. Even there, he had to move several times to escape the amorous pursuits of ladies of high society. He controlled his passions through hard work and a very orderly lifestyle. In addition to theology, Lancelot studied law and soon earned a doctorate with honors.