Andrea Beltrami

Who they were

Andrea Beltrami grew up in a devout family at Omegna and entered the Salesian college of Lanzo in 1883, where his vocation matured; he received the clerical habit from Don Bosco in 1886. At Valsalice he became close to the Polish prince August Czartoryski, a fellow Salesian dying of tuberculosis, and cared for him devotedly; when Beltrami himself later fell ill with the same disease, this closeness was counted among the likely causes. He bore his long illness with inner joy, seeing it as something he had asked of God, and was ordained priest in 1893 by Bishop Giovanni Cagliero despite not having finished his studies.

Largely confined to his room at Valsalice for his last years, he devoted himself to prayer and writing, producing biographies of saints and other devotional and historical works, and beginning an Italian translation of the critical edition of St Francis de Sales' writings. He died at Turin on 30 December 1897, aged 27, and is buried in the church at Omegna, his birthplace; he was declared Venerable on 5 December 1966.

The miracles

The Church has not yet approved a miracle in this cause.

Why that counted as sanctity

Salesian priest who embraced long illness as an offering and wrote widely on the saints; declared Venerable on 5 December 1966.

Connected on this site

• Francis de Sales Saint
  “Largely confined to his room at Valsalice for his last years, he devoted himself to prayer and writing, producing biographies of saints and other devotional and historical works, and beginning an Italian translation of the critical edition of St Francis de Sales' writings.” — this site's research
• August Czartoryski Blessed
  “At Valsalice he became close to the Polish prince August Czartoryski, a fellow Salesian dying of tuberculosis, and cared for him devotedly; when Beltrami himself later fell ill with the same disease, this closeness was counted among the likely causes.” — this site's research