Blessed Rolando Rivi

Rolando Maria Rivi (7 January 1931 – 13 April 1945) was an Italian Roman Catholic seminarian. Rivi was noted for his studious and pious nature with an intense love for Jesus Christ, which was evident through frequent confession and the reception of the Eucharist. He was amiable to all and wore his cassock with great pride in order to affirm that he belonged to Christ and his church. Accusing him of having spied for the Italian Social Republic, Communist partisans murdered him in odium fidei (in hatred of the faith) towards the end of World War II in Modena because he was learning to become a priest. Rivi's holiness was well-noted in his lifetime and people began to hail him as a saint after his vicious murder after which people called for him to be beatified. The cause for his sainthood did not open until 30 September 2005 when he was accorded the title "Servant of God" and subsequently Pope Francis oversaw his beatification later on 5 October 2013. Rolando Maria Rivi was born on 7 January 1931 in the rural San Valentino as the second of three sons to Roberto Rivi (30 October 1903 – 22 October 1992) and his wife Albertina Canovi; he was baptised on January 8 by the parish priest, Luigi Lemmi. His father consecrated the child on the day of his baptism to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. His birthplace was located in the foothills of the Apennines between the Secchia and Tresinaro rivers. His paternal grandparents were Alfonso and Anna Ferrari Rivi, who had moved to Levizzano-Baiso to work the land there and since the 1920s lived in a large house named "Poggiolo" with their nine children, of whom Roberto was the eldest son. Rolando grew up educated in the Catholic faith due to the influence of his mother and in the strong religious atmosphere of his parish. Before going to work in the fields each morning, like his father, he attended Mass. In this atmosphere of strong religious faith he grew. He had a passion for music, and learned to play the harmonium.