Stephen Bellesini

Stefano Bellesini OESA (* November 25, 1774 in Trento, Italy, † February 2nd 1840 in Genazzano, Italy ) was an Italian Catholic priest, member of the Augustinian Hermits ( OESA ) and in 1904 was beatified by the Catholic Church.

Life

Luigi Bellesini occurred on 29 May 1773 Novice in the Order of Saint Augustine in Bologna and took the religious name Stefano. He put his profession on May 31 in 1794. In the fall of 1794, he moved to Rome to study at the Augustinian monastery philosophy. 1796 - during the Revolutionary War - he studied theology in Bologna. Since the Napoleonic troops joined the monastery, sat Bellesini his theological studies from the autumn 1796 in Trento continued. There he was ordained a deacon and on November 5, 1797 October 29, 1797 priests. Because of his youth, he took this a papal dispensation. He remained in Trento among the Augustinians.

After the dissolution of his monastery in 1809 during the secularization began in Trent an extensive educational activities, especially for poor children and young people and founded a school. Finally, he was responsible for thousands of students. He won the confidence of the new authorities and was appointed by the Austrian Government to the General headmaster of the Principality of Trento in 1811. As part of the re-establishment of the Papal States in 1815 and the local approval of the Order, he drew in 1817 despite the opposition of the Government of Trentino back to the Augustinians in Rome, after which he was banished, and became master of novices. From 1826, he was master of novices in the Augustinian monastery in Genazzano ( Lazio ). In 1831 he was pastor there and promoted vital pilgrimage to the Mother of Good Counsel of Genazzano and the popular devotion to her. Today, he is associated with this sanctuary in relationship especially. He died in 1840 in Genazzano.

Stefano Bellesini was on December 27, 1904 by Pope Pius X as the first pastor of the modern era - a year ahead of Jean -Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars, - beatified. Immediately after his beatification an initiative that asked for his appointment as patron of the parish priest arose. Bellesini is the first Blessed from Trentino.

His feast day in the liturgy is 2 February, at the Augustinian Hermits February 3.