The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order were seven men of the town of Florence who became bound to each other in a spiritual friendship and started the Servite Order in the 13th century. They felt called by Mary, mother of Jesus, towards whom they practised an intense devotion. They reported a vision, apparently shared by all separately at the same moment. None of them was aware that the others also had experienced it. The call was to "leave the world, the better to serve almighty God".