Francesco Zirano

Blessed Francesco Zirano (1565 – 25 January 1603) was an Italian priest who was a member of the Order of Friars Minor. He was martyred for his faith and was beatified in 2014.

Biography

Zirano was born in 1564 and was a member of the Order of Friars Minor. He made his final profession in 1580 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1586 by Archbishop Alfonso de Lorca.

He was commissioned in 1599 by Pope Clement VIII to collect ransom money to free enslaved Christians held hostage by Muslims in North Africa.

When Zirano arrived on 20 August 1602, Algiers was at war with the Kingdom of Cuco. In 1603, he was sent to Spain to inform them of the Kingdom's victory, but was betrayed and imprisoned by local Algerian soldiers. After 25 days of imprisonment, he learned from his captors that, due to anti-Christian sentiment in the region, he had been sentenced to death. He was offered a pardon under the condition that he convert to Islam. He refused, and was flayed alive.^[1]

Beatification

Pope Francis approved the decree of martyrdom in February 2014.^[2] Cardinal Angelo Amato, the Prefect for the Congregation of the Causes of Saints, celebrated the beatification in Sassari on behalf of the pontiff.

References

External links

• Hagiography Circle
• Saints SQPN