Blessed Tommaso Reggio was the Archbishop of Genoa, Italy.
He was born on January 8 1818 in Genoa, Italy.
He died on November 22 1901 in Triora, Imperia, Italy.
We celebrate his feast day on January 9 every year in the Catholic Church.
| Blessed Tommaso Reggio Biography | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | January 8 1818 |
| Place of Birth | Genoa, Italy |
| Profession | Archbishop of Genoa, Italy |
| Place of Work | Italy |
| Date of Death | November 22 1901 |
| Place of Death | Triora, Imperia, Italy |
| Feast Day | January 9 |
| Beatification | By Pope John Paul II on September 3 2000 at Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City |
| Patron Saint of | |
Blessed Tommaso Reggio Life History
Blessed Tommaso Reggio was born on January 8, 1818, in Genoa, Italy. He was the son of Angela Pareto and the Marquis of Reggio.
At the age of 20, Tommaso felt a calling to become a priest, and he pursued his studies, eventually being ordained on September 18, 1841.
By the age of 25, he became the vice-rector of the seminary in Genoa, Italy, and later served as the rector of the seminary in Chiavari, Italy.
Tommaso played a key role in the establishment of The Catholic Standard, which was the first Catholic newspaper.
In 1865, The Standard and 25 other publications supported Catholic candidates in the hope of forming a Catholic political party.
However, in 1874, Catholics were prohibited from voting, leading Father Tommaso to close the newspaper.
In 1877, Tommaso became the Bishop of Ventimiglia, Italy, but the diocese was financially challenged, requiring him to travel to his parishes on a mule.
He initiated the creation of new parishes, organized three synods, and promoted a liturgical revival while establishing educational programs.
He was known for his nightly prayers from 3 to 6 a.m. and for his unwavering composure in the face of challenges.
Additionally, in 1878, he founded the Sisters of Saint Martha, a congregation dedicated to caring for the poor.
Following an earthquake in 1887, Tommaso worked tirelessly to assist the injured and directed his priests to use all available resources to aid the displaced.
He also founded orphanages in Ventimiglia and San Remo, Italy, to provide shelter, education, and training for children who had lost their families in the earthquake.
In 1892, he requested to be relieved of his duties, but on July 11, the Pope appointed him as the Archbishop of Genoa, Italy.
Despite the city’s political complexity and tension, his humble, open, and devout generosity won over many, and people from both inside and outside the Church sought his guidance.
He established a network to aid immigrants, championed Catholic lay associations, and supported progressive concepts such as limited work hours and full days off for laborers, which were considered radical ideas at the time. Tommaso Reggio died while on a pilgrimage with a group of other bishops and clergy.
He died in the afternoon of November 22, 1901, in Triora, Imperia, Italy and his funeral was held at the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Genoa, Italy.
Blessed Tommaso Reggio was beatified on September 3, 2000, by Pope John Paul II.
The miracle that led to his beatification involved the healing of a six-year-old girl named Pabla Valdenegro Romero, who suffered from Guillain-Barré Syndrome (polyradiculoneuritis), including albumin-cytological dissociation, ascending paralysis with cranial nerve involvement, quadriplegia, prolonged respiratory failure, two cardiac arrests, subcutaneous emphysema, and other infectious pulmonary complications.
This miraculous healing took place on November 10, 1985, in Valparaiso, Chile.
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