Teresio Olivelli

The Vatican record

• 14 December 2015 — Heroic virtue declared — title Venerable (decree list, 2015)
• 16 June 2017 — Martyrdom recognised (decree list, 2017)

Who they were

Teresio Olivelli was born at Bellagio on 7 January 1916 to a middle-class family of deep Christian roots, grew up in Mortara and graduated in law at Pavia in 1938. Active in the Catholic university federation and the St Vincent de Paul conference, he did many works of charity for the poor, the sick and the old.

Named rector of the Ghislieri College in Pavia, he broke with Fascism. Deported, he died in the infirmary of the Hersbruck concentration camp on 17 January 1945 from a blow to the stomach, killed for his Christian faith.

The miracles

His martyrdom was then examined by the Dicastery's theologians on 7 March 2017.

Why that counted as sanctity

A young lawyer of Catholic charity who died in a Nazi camp for his Christian faith.

Connected on this site

• Vincent de Paul Saint
  “Active in the Catholic university federation and the St Vincent de Paul conference, he did many works of charity for the poor, the sick and the old.” — this site's research