Born in 1499 in Alcántara, Spain, Peter felt called to religious life from a young age. His father was the governor and his mother came from a noble family. After studying at the University of Salamanca, he joined the Order of Friars Minor at age 16. Peter sought a life of poverty and solitude, establishing the small monastery of El Palancar, where he lived with a few companions under a very austere rule. He ate simple food, wore humble clothing, and reportedly slept only 90