Giovanni Didonè

Who they were

Giovanni Didonè was born at Rosà, near Vicenza in Italy, on 18 March 1930, entered the Xaverian Missionaries in 1950, made temporary vows on 12 October 1951 and perpetual vows on 5 November 1954. Ordained priest on 9 November 1958, he was sent to Baraka and then as first parish priest to Fizi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he was killed on 28 November 1964; Pope Francis beatified him on 18 August 2024.

The miracles

As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.

Why that counted as sanctity

He was killed at Fizi, the parish he had been the first to serve.