Giovanni Battista Mazzucconi (1 March 1826 – 7 September 1855) was an
Italian priest from the
Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions. He was killed in hatred of the faith in
Papua New Guinea during his work there amongst the people.
He was beatified in 1984 after it was determined that he was killed "
in odium fidei" (in hatred of the faith). One miracle is required for his canonization.
Life
Giovanni Battista Mazzucconi was born on 1 March 1826 in
Lecco as the ninth of twelve children.
He commenced his studies for the
priesthood in 1845 and with several seminarians he underwent a course of spiritual exercises. It was at one such retreat that he met the Father Superior who served in
India. This encounter had a profound effect on Mazzucconi who started to cultivate a desire to become a member of a group of missionaries. His desire was intensified in 1850 when
Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
asked the Milanese bishops to establish a workshop for the preparation of people for the missions.
Mazzucconi was
ordained to the priesthood in May 1850 and he became a member of the new
Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions and embarked with several of them to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
in March 1852. There two groups were established: one for the
Island of Rook and the other to
Woodlark Island. It was there that Mazzucconi immersed himself in the culture of the natives but the weather cut his studies short and he became ill; he was sent to
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
for treatment.
He returned to Woodlark Island but the natives ambushed him there with an axe on 7 September 1855. Mazzucconi approached them but the native nearest him struck him on the head with an axe. The natives proceeded to kill him and his fellows and he died of his wounds.
Beatification
The beatification process commenced in
Milan with the introduction of two independent processes. This happened despite the fact that the cause for the
Servant of God
"Servant of God" is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint.
Terminology
The expression "servant of God" appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in th ...
did not open on a formal level until 28 October 1975. Theologians and the members of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints discussed the cause and came to the belief that Mazzucconi was killed in hatred of the faith.
Pope John Paul II approved these findings.
John Paul II beatified him in 1984.
References
External links
Hagiography CircleSaints SQPN
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mazzucconi, Giovanni Battista
1826 births
1855 deaths
19th-century venerated Christians
People from Lecco
Italian Roman Catholic missionaries
Beatifications by Pope John Paul II
19th-century Roman Catholic martyrs
Roman Catholic missionaries in Papua New Guinea
Italian people murdered abroad
People murdered in Papua New Guinea
Axe murder
Italian expatriates in Papua New Guinea