Hannibal Mary Di Francia was born in Messina, Sicily, Italy on July 5, 1851, to Knight Francesco Di Francia, Marquis of Santa Caterina, appointed Vice-Consul and Honorary Captain of the Navy by Pope Pius IX, and, on his mother’s side, to Lady Anna Toscano of the Marquises of Montonaro. The third of four children, he lost his father when he was just fifteen months old. This profoundly sad experience left him deeply empathetic to the plight of children bereft of parents, shaping his life and educational journey.