21st JULY: ST ALBERIC CRESCITELLI, MISSIONARY AND MARTYR
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1. Born in 1863 near Naples, Italy, Alberic joined the Milan Foreign Missionary Society. On completion of his studies and formation, he was consecrated a priest
#StAlbericCrescitelli #priest and #martyr #China
2. in 1887 in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Fr Alberic was received by Pope Leo XIII and given the missionary crucifix. In April 1888, he left Rome for Marseille where he boarded the steamship to China.
He arrived at his mission in August 1888. The Vicariate of Hanzhong
3. (which is now the diocese of Hanchung and the mission site of Fr Alberic) was almost all non-Christian at the time, with a myriad of problems, including opium smokers who also infected the pious Christian minority.
4. Fr Alberic learned the language remarkably quickly and made a point of blending in with the locals in appearance.
He worked in schools and missions along the Han River until the Boxer Rebellion brought chaos to China. In Beijing the decree of expulsion of all missionaries
5. and the order for Christians to apostasy to save their lives was issued. A group of boxers captured Alberic and hacked him to pieces in a most barbaric manner on July 21, 1900.
The process of canonisation began in 1910 in China. Beatified in 1951, he was canonised in 2000.
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