Saint Gregory Grassi

Life story

Gregorio Grassi was born on 13 December 1833 at Castellazzo Bormida in Piedmont, Italy, with the baptismal name Pier Luigi. According to the sources he took the Franciscan habit at fifteen at Montiano and the name Gregory; he was ordained a priest in 1856 and went to China around 1860, assigned to Shanxi province, chiefly at Taiyuan.

At Taiyuan he served as mission promoter, directed the orphanage and led the seminary choir. In 1876 he became coadjutor bishop of the vicariate of Shanxi. When the vicariate was divided in the early 1890s he became head of Northern Shanxi. In those years he expanded the orphanages during plague and famine.

In the summer of 1900 the Boxer movement erupted. On 5 July crowds burst into the mission at Taiyuan and seized him and other religious. On 9 July 1900 the prisoners were stripped, bound and beaten on the way to the residence of Governor Yuxian. After a brief show trial the governor ordered them killed on the spot, and soldiers struck them down with swords. Bishop Francis Fogolla and many others died with him. He was beatified in 1946 under Pope Pius XII and canonized by Pope John Paul II on 1 October 2000 with 119 other martyrs of China. His individual feast is 9 July, while the wider Franciscan group keeps 8 July.

Works and witness

• Took the Franciscan habit at fifteen and went to China around 1860
• Served as mission promoter and orphanage director at Taiyuan
• Coadjutor bishop in 1876; head of the Northern Shanxi vicariate from the early 1890s
• Arrested on 5 July 1900
• Killed on 9 July 1900; canonized on 1 October 2000

Saints from the same country

Saint Agnes, Saint Lawrence, Saint Cecilia, Saint Sebastian

References

• Franciscan Media, 'Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions' (franciscanmedia.org)
• Franciscan Tradition, '26 Franciscan Martyrs in China' (franciscantradition.org)
• GCatholic.org, 'Gregorio Grassi' (priestly ordination 1856, consecration 1876)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.