Francesco Zirano
Sardinian catholic priest
Feast: 25 January (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
The Vatican record
- 7 February 2014 — Martyrdom recognised (decree list, 2014)
Who they were
Francesco Zirano was born at Sassari in 1564 to a modest farming family, made his profession with the Conventual Franciscans of his city at sixteen and was ordained in 1586, known for fraternal charity.
A missionary, on 1 January 1603, about to embark, he was betrayed by the Moors with him and handed to the army of Algiers. Twice he refused to deny the Christian faith, 'the true way of salvation, in which I was born and wish to die'. On 25 January 1603, aged 39, he was flayed alive in Algiers, praying the names of Jesus and Mary and dying with Christ's words: 'Into your hands, Father…'.
The miracles
As a martyr, beatified without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A friar who chose a terrible death rather than deny the faith he was born in.
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - biography: Francesco Zirano
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints — promulgated decrees (causesanti.va), summarised in our own words
- Wikidata Q18085206 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Francesco Zirano (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.