Saint John Baptist de Rossi

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Saint John Baptist de Rossi
Feast Day May 23
Liturgical Class
Patronage Voltaggio, Italy
Birthplace Voltaggio, Piedmont, Italy
Death Place Rome, Papal States
Cause of Death Multiple strokes
Primary Shrine San Giovanni Battista de Rossi Church, Rome, Italy

Saint John Baptist de Rossi (February 22, 1698 – May 23, 1764), born Giovanni Battista de’ Rossi, was a saint and Italian Roman Catholic priest renowned for his ministry to the poor, sick, and marginalized. Born in Voltaggio, Piedmont, Italy, to a devout but poor family, he excelled in piety and intellect from a young age. Ordained in 1721 despite epilepsy, he served in Rome, founding a hospice for homeless women and ministering to prisoners, workers, and prostitutes. Known as the “Apostle of the Abandoned,” he spent hours hearing confessions and preaching, emphasizing simple, impactful sermons. Canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881, his feast day is celebrated on May 23.[1][2]

De Rossi’s selfless care, often performing menial tasks like emptying bedpans, won hearts, leading many to salvation. His relics, translated to the San Giovanni Battista de Rossi Church in Rome in 1965, draw pilgrims. His legacy as a model for caregivers endures, with his emphasis on relieving suffering before preaching salvation inspiring modern charity.[3][4]

Biography

Birth

Saint John Baptist de Rossi was born on February 22, 1698, in Voltaggio, Piedmont, Italy, the youngest of four children to Carlo de’ Rossi and Francesca Anfossi. His parents, though poor, were deeply pious, fostering his early devotion and compassion. Voltaggio, in the Diocese of Genoa, was a modest village, shaping his humble beginnings.[1][4]

His family’s faith and the local clergy’s guidance set him on a path of holiness, with his intelligence noted early by priests who saw his potential for the priesthood.[2]

Early Life

Raised in a devout household, de Rossi showed remarkable piety and charity, often giving food to the poor. At 10, a noble couple, Giovanni Scorza and Maria Battina Cambiasi, recognized his gifts after Mass and, with his father’s approval, took him to Genoa as a page for schooling. His father died in 1710, followed by his older brother, yet de Rossi persisted in his studies.[4][5]

In 1711, his cousin, Canon Lorenzo de Rossi of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, called him to Rome to study at the Collegium Romanum under the Jesuits. A model student, he joined the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin and the Ristretto of the Twelve Apostles, leading peers in prayer and hospital visits. His excessive penances, however, triggered epileptic seizures, nearly ruining his health.[1][2]

Occupation

De Rossi’s early “occupation” involved studying philosophy and theology under the Dominicans at the College of Saint Thomas in Rome. Despite epilepsy, he was ordained a priest on March 8, 1721, after receiving a special dispensation. He vowed not to accept ecclesiastical benefits unless commanded, dedicating himself to Rome’s poor.[1][5]

He served as a preacher, confessor, and catechist, ministering to the sick in hospitals by day and street people by night. He founded a hospice for homeless women near Saint Galla and instructed prisoners and workers, including the public hangman. As canon of Santa Maria in Cosmedin from 1737, he sold the associated house, using funds for the poor.[3][4]

Vocation

De Rossi’s vocation was defined by his priestly ministry to the marginalized, earning him the title “Apostle of the Abandoned.” Initially avoiding confessions due to epilepsy fears, he was encouraged by the Bishop of Civita Castellana in 1738 to embrace this role. Granted faculties to hear confessions in Rome’s churches, he became a sought-after confessor, spending hours with the poor and illiterate.[1][6]

He preached simple, impactful sermons, once saying, “The poor come to church tired… Give them one idea they can take home.” His care for the sick, including menial tasks, reflected his belief in relieving suffering before preaching salvation. His devotion to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga inspired his charity.[3][4]

Death

Saint John Baptist de Rossi met his end on May 23, 1764, in Rome, Papal States, dying of multiple strokes at age 66. Worn out by his labors and frail health, he suffered a stroke in 1763 and moved to the Trinità dei Pellegrini hospice. After a brief recovery, he resumed Mass but succumbed to another stroke. Buried under the altar of the Blessed Virgin at Trinità dei Pellegrini, his relics were translated to San Giovanni Battista de Rossi Church in 1965.[1][5]

Miracles followed his death, accelerating his canonization process, though delayed by European upheavals. His tomb remains a pilgrimage site, honoring his selfless service.[4]

Significant events

  • Taken to Genoa for schooling by a noble couple in 1708.
  • Moved to Rome to study at the Collegium Romanum in 1711.
  • Ordained a priest on March 8, 1721, despite epilepsy.
  • Became canon of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in 1737, using funds for the poor.
  • Authorized to hear confessions in Rome’s churches in 1738.
  • Died of strokes on May 23, 1764, in Rome.[1][4]

Significant locations

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Legend

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  • Death location icon Death location: None
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Parishes

Saint John Baptist de Rossi

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Canonization

Servant of God

The cause for Saint John Baptist de Rossi’s canonization began under Pope Pius VI on June 27, 1781, prompted by miracles at his tomb. The Diocese of Rome collected testimonies of his holiness, charity, and service to the poor, advancing his recognition as a Servant of God.[4]

Venerable

De Rossi was not formally declared Venerable, as his canonization predates the modern process. His widespread devotion, fueled by miracles and his reputation as a confessor, supported his cause, despite delays from the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.[1]

Beatification

De Rossi was beatified on May 13, 1860, by Pope Pius IX in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, after two miracles were attributed to his intercession on March 7, 1859. These healings, verified by the Church, affirmed his sanctity and growing cult in Rome.[4][5]

Canonization

Saint John Baptist de Rossi was canonized on December 8, 1881, by Pope Leo XIII in St. Peter’s Basilica, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, following two additional miracles in 1881. His canonization, delayed by European unrest, recognized his lifelong service to the abandoned, solidifying his universal veneration.[1][4]

Miracles

Saint John Baptist de Rossi’s canonization was supported by miracles, primarily healings, attributed to his intercession. His life of charity and confessions was seen as providential, with miracles accelerating his recognition.[1]

Miracle for beatification

Two miracles, likely healings, were attributed to de Rossi’s intercession and verified on March 7, 1859, leading to his beatification. Specific details are scarce, but these involved individuals who prayed for his aid and recovered inexplicably.[4]

Miracle for canonization

Two additional miracles, also healings, were confirmed in 1881, enabling his canonization. These were documented by the Diocese of Rome, with recipients attributing their cures to de Rossi’s intercession at his tomb.[4]

Other notable miracles

  • Numerous healings were reported at his tomb in Trinità dei Pellegrini shortly after his death in 1764, sparking his canonization cause.[1]
  • His ability to minister despite epilepsy was considered providential, inspiring his dispensation for ordination.[6]

Patronage

Saint John Baptist de Rossi is the patron saint of Voltaggio, Italy, reflecting his birthplace and enduring local devotion.[4]

Feast day

Saint John Baptist de Rossi’s feast day is celebrated on May 23 in the Roman Catholic Church, commemorating his death and legacy of charity.[2]

Veneration

Saint John Baptist de Rossi is venerated through prayers, novenas, and pilgrimages to the San Giovanni Battista de Rossi Church in Rome, where his relics rest since 1965. Devotees seek his intercession for caregivers and the marginalized, inspired by his selfless service. His image, often showing him in priestly vestments with a book or rosary, adorns churches in Rome and Voltaggio.[5][6]

His reputation as a “second Saint Philip Neri” endures, with his simple preaching style and care for the poor celebrated annually on May 23. The church dedicated to him, consecrated in 1965, hosts vibrant feast day Masses, and his legacy influences modern Catholic outreach to the needy.[4][7] Posts on X highlight his dedication to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, bringing God’s mercy to the neediest.[8]

Books

Written about the saint

Written by the saint

  • None recorded, though his sermons and catechetical instructions were noted for their simplicity and impact.[3]

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 "St. John Baptist de Rossi". https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08449a.htm. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "St. John Baptist de Rossi". https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=7. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "John Baptist de Rossi". https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/saints/saints-stories-for-all-ages/john-baptist-de-rossi/. 
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 "Saint of the Day – 23 May – St John Baptist de Rossi". https://anastpaul.com/2018/05/23/saint-of-the-day-23-may-st-john-baptist-de-rossi-1698-1764/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "Saint Giovanni Battista Rossi". https://catholicsaints.info/saint-giovanni-battista-rossi/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Saint John Baptist de’ Rossi". https://newdailycompass.com/en/saint-john-baptist-de-rossi. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "San Giovanni Battista de’ Rossi". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giovanni_Battista_de%27_Rossi. 
  8. ↑ "San Juan Bautista Rossi". @aciprensa. https://t.co/RiCu4GiNyN. 
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