Venerable Antonio Maria Gianelli

Antonio Maria Gianelli (12 April 1789 – 7 June 1846) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Bobbio from 1837 until his death. He was also the founder of the Figlie di Nostra Signora del Giardino and the Missionaries of Saint Alphonsus. Gianelli was dedicated to the educational needs of his people and catered to their spiritual and material needs as well; he was on hand to aid the ill and the poor and made evangelization a focus to his episcopal mission. He likewise preached missions and became known for his charisma and his eloquence. Gianelli's beatification was celebrated in 1925 and he was later canonized as a saint in late 1951. Since 4 June 2000 he has been the patron saint for both Bobbio and Val di Vara. Antonio Maria Gianelli was born on 12 April 1789 - on Easter Sunday - to Giacomo and Maria Gianelli; he had five brothers. His mother often taught people catechism and his father was known for his efforts in peace-making in their town. He grew up in a small village of farmers and he was an exceptional student - so much so that the owner of the farm he lived on - Nicoletta Rebizzo - paid for his studies for the priesthood. He commenced those studies in November 1807 in Genoa where he began his studies in dogmatics and liturgical practice and earned his doctorate. He had been made a subdeacon in September 1811 and was granted the rather unusual privilege of being allowed to preach while still a subdeacon due to his exceptional eloquence being a well-noted fact. The Cardinal Archbishop of Genoa Giuseppe Maria Spina ordained him to the diaconate in mid-1812. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1812 (in Genoa at the church of Nostra Signora del Carmine) and had to receive special dispensation since he was not at the canonical age required for ordination. Gianelli celebrated his first Mass in Cerreta. He served as a parish priest in Mantua after he was ordained. Spina sent Gianelli in 1812 to teach at Carcare in Savona.