Franco was born in 1585 in Naples to a noble family of French origins.

He was born as the third of six children to Orlando Franco and Francesca Pisana di Antonio.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1610 and he asked King Philip III to be a member of his court.

[3][4] Pope Benedict XVI declared him to have lived a life of heroic virtue and proclaimed him to be venerable on 14 January 2011.

He later approved a decree ratifying the existence of a miracle on 20 December 2012 leading to his beatification.