Saint Alberico Crescitelli
Italian PIME missionary priest martyred in Shaanxi in 1900
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Martyr, Priest, Missionary
- Life
- 1863 – 1900
- Era
- 19th century
- Feast
- 22 July
- Countries
- Italy, China
Life story
Alberic Crescitelli was born on 30 June 1863 at Altavilla, Italy. In 1880 he entered the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) and was ordained a priest on 4 June 1887. In 1888 he went to China and worked in the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Shensi, now the Diocese of Hanzhong. PIME-related pages give his Chinese name as Guo Xide.
In 1900 Shaanxi was caught up in the anti-foreign Boxer movement. According to one PIME account, he was then assigned to Ningqiang; friends warned him and urged him to hide, but a traitor entrapped him and he was captured.
The same account says he was slashed and beaten, and the next morning was dragged along the riverbank and beheaded. PIME material gives 20 July 1900 as the day of his capture at Yanzibian, with his death the next morning, 21 July 1900.
Pius XII beatified him on 18 February 1951 and John Paul II canonized him on 1 October 2000 among the Martyrs of China. The canonization drew strong objections from the Chinese authorities.
Works and witness
- Joined PIME in 1880 and was ordained in 1887
- Went to China in 1888 and worked in southern Shaanxi
- Killed in the summer of 1900 during the Boxer period
- Beatified in 1951 and canonized in 2000
Saints from the same country
References
- PIME Hong Kong, "St. Alberic Crescitelli (1863-1900)" (pimehkc.catholic.org.hk)
- PIME USA, "PIME Martyrs" (pimeusa.org)
- AsiaNews, "25 years of China's Holy Martyrs" (2025)
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.