Holy Heroes · By country
Candidates for sainthood and witnesses of faith from Italy
Holy men and women from Italy on MyHolyHero: those whose cause for beatification and canonization is open, and witnesses of faith for whom no cause has been opened.
Each profile gives a short account of the person's life, the exact stage of their cause in the Catholic Church and a prayer for private devotion. We keep two groups clearly apart: people with an open cause for beatification and canonization, and witnesses of faith for whom no cause has been opened.
To understand what each title means (Servant of God, Venerable, Blessed), read our guide to how canonization works, or browse all the heroes by stage of the cause.
Open causes for canonization
Blessed Maria Pierina De Micheli
Italian religious sister of the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception who promoted devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus and originated the Holy Face Medal; beatified by Benedict XVI in 2010.
Blessed Pope John Paul I (Albino Luciani)
The 'Smiling Pope' whose 33-day pontificate in 1978 left a lasting impression of humility and warmth; beatified by Pope Francis in 2022.
Blessed Dominic Barberi (Domenico Barberi, C.P.)
Italian Passionist missionary to England known as the 'Apostle of England's Conversion'; received Saint John Henry Newman into the Catholic Church at Littlemore in 1845.
Witnesses of faith · no open cause
No cause for beatification has been opened for the people below. They are not candidates for canonization; they are remembered here for the witness of their lives.
Pope Leo XIII
Italian-born Vincenzo Pecci reigned as the 'Social Pope' from 1878-1903, transforming Catholic social teaching with Rerum Novarum and earning the title 'Rosary Pope' for his Marian devotion.
Maria Valtorta
Italian Catholic writer and visionary, bedridden for decades in Viareggio, author of 'The Poem of the Man-God'; her writings have not been recognised by the Church as supernatural.
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