Mario Ghibaudo
An Italian priest and curate of Boves, Mario Ghibaudo died a martyr at the age of 23 on September 19, 1943, murdered by Nazi troops while assisting a wounded person.
Contemporaries
Figures and markers around the normalized period for this entry.
Guided reading
5 reading sections
Biography
Youth, vocation, and priestly ordination of Mario Ghibaudo.
Blessed Mario Ghibaudo was born on January 18, 1920, in Borgo San Dalmazzo, in the province of Cuneo, Italy. He was the third son of Dalmazzo Ghibaudo, a typesetter, and Maria Rolando, a housewife. Raised in a deeply Christian family, he received his first communion in 1926 and confirmation in 1928. It was on the day of his first communion that he felt the call to the priesthood. On October 1, 1929, at the age of nine, he entered the seminary of Cuneo. Ordained a priest on June 19, 1943, by the Bishop of Cuneo, he was appointed vicar of the San Bartolomeo parish in Boves on July 1, 1943.
Life and work
Father Mario's intense pastoral ministry in Boves and his heroic dedication during the 1943 massacre.
Father Mario Ghibaudo's pastoral ministry in Boves lasted only three months but proved to be of great intensity. He dedicated himself to the apostolate among the youth and the soldiers of the local barracks. On September 19, 1943, following clashes between partisans and German soldiers, SS Major Joachim Peiper threatened to destroy Boves. Despite the successful mediation of the parish priest Father Giuseppe Bernardi and Antonio Vassallo, the Nazi troops set fire to the town. Father Mario refused to flee, evacuated the young girls from the orphanage, preserved the hosts, and gave absolution to the inhabitants. Around 4:30 PM, while assisting a wounded man, he was shot by a burst of machine-gun fire and then finished off with a dagger by a German soldier.
Path to holiness
The recognition of the martyrdom of Father Mario Ghibaudo and the transfer of his relics.
The reputation of martyrdom of Father Mario Ghibaudo and his pastor Father Giuseppe Bernardi spread immediately. The cause for beatification was opened in the diocese of Cuneo on May 31, 2013, and concluded on June 5, 2014. On April 26, 2016, their mortal remains were solemnly transferred to the parish church of San Bartolomeo in Boves. On April 9, 2022, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing their martyrdom in odium fidei (in hatred of the faith), dispensing the cause from the presentation of a miracle.
Beatification and canonization
The celebration of the beatification in Boves in October 2022.
The beatification ceremony for Father Giuseppe Bernardi and Father Mario Ghibaudo was celebrated on October 16, 2022, at the AVIS square in Boves. The celebration was presided over, on behalf of Pope Francis, by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, in the presence of Bishop Piero Delbosco and Bishop Franco Lovignana. During the Angelus on the same day, Pope Francis paid tribute to their pastoral courage. Their liturgical memorial is set for September 19.
Spirituality and legacy
The spiritual guiding principle of Father Mario and the living memory of his sacrifice for peace.
The spirituality of Father Mario Ghibaudo is summarized by his own formula written at the age of 16: "To become a priest, to live as a priest, to die as a priest: this is the synthesis of the dearest hopes I conceive for my life." His sacrifice testifies to a faith lived as a service of absolute love. Today, the Don Bernardi and Don Ghibaudo Association promotes their memory in Boves as a call to peace and reconciliation, notably through fraternal ties with the German community of Schondorf.
Frequently asked questions about Mario Ghibaudo
Who was Mario Ghibaudo?
An Italian priest and curate of Boves, Mario Ghibaudo died a martyr at the age of 23 on September 19, 1943, murdered by Nazi troops while assisting a wounded person.
How did Mario Ghibaudo die?
Mario Ghibaudo suffered martyrdom for the Christian faith (20th century).
Which saints were contemporaries of Mario Ghibaudo?
Contemporaries include: Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Felipe de Jesús Munárriz and 50 companions, Mariano de Jesús Euse Hoyos and Teresa of Jesus of the Andes.
What are the other names of Mario Ghibaudo?
Other forms of the name: don Mario Ghibaudo.
Who are the relatives of Mario Ghibaudo?
Relatives of Mario Ghibaudo: Dalmazzo Ghibaudo (father) and Maria Rolando (mother).
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Era / death: 1920-1943
- Beatification in 2022 by Francis
Quotes
-
To become a priest, to live as a priest, to die as a priest: this is the synthesis of the dearest hopes I conceive for my life.
https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGjuWSz2oaJQ9iVTYbuCYTWinM38Nsc4_M2Z0yF86qwT8FpnmhRwo__vIiNb2-0vvTOL5wNOkr1DvTd-vwcqoGRrh_U3IKc8oEbRcBt5qDMhynKsBcmmv9Z1FhuLedJqujh4Hpi8y-ccpyZhPtdqT5biioYDBTJibXxRr4hBQUv_UKuOTTpq7XhXsV8NmxrzWurQeGRbQIH4TTM28tMmD_JMF8XEciYqxiYrgNzFjHWjws-KaZe3-bCn42-lLEbAZkF -
In extreme danger, they did not abandon the people entrusted to them, but assisted them even to the shedding of blood, sharing the tragic fate of other fellow citizens killed by the Nazis. May their example inspire in priests the desire to be pastors after the heart of Christ, always at the side of their people.
https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFLQyqtl4ucDNJfD7rHRwzn3gnUIvvrGGVAjkZ-VsjaXzdhJGnleGsgt6QQRAN2CQPsFLemQ2w94nU2BoS-OhjbgAjr3jiwF6GPP10VHQu6_ah10OYQgaCDSQCgMpqm9VfPHpoUpU62_hfn-n5AKbTKfgI_LTan1xYrLDED02-bTCySOUZh7Uar8-aRZ5tjwHcmGATJ26ccuRso0vaCTA==