Luigi Orione
Encyclopedia
Saint Luigi Orione is an Italian saint.
, in the Province of Alessandria
, Piedmont
on the Vigil
of the feast day
of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
. He was named after Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
and Saint John the Baptist
. He was baptized
the next day by Don Michele Cattaneo, a parish priest of Pontecurone. His father, Vittorio, was a street paver of few words and his mother, Carolina, was an energetic, pious, thrifty homemaker. Luigi Orione was a student at the Valdocco Oratory in Turin
.
He gained the attention of St. John Bosco
, who numbered him among his favorite pupils. Since the age of thirteen, Luigi suffered from health problems. However, three years later, at the age of sixteen, he was present at Don Bosco's death in Turin in 1888. Immediately upon his death, Luigi's ailments were miraculously cured.
In 1892, the 20-year-old seminarian opened his own oratory, and the following year he started a vocational school for the poor. He was ordained a priest on April 13, 1895.
Starting in 1899, Don Orione started to gather a group of priests and clerics that were to become Piccola Opera della Divina Provvidenza, or the Little Work of the Divine Providence
. In 1903 the group received the full imprimatur of the bishop, and it became what is still called to this day the "Sons of Divine Providence".
One of the priests who was in his inner circle was Lorenzo Perosi, who later became Perpetual Director of the Sistine Chapel Choir
and one of the most famous composers of sacred music. Perosi was born in the same year and the same province (Tortona
) as Orione; they remained lifelong friends.
In 1908, Don Orione went to Messina, Sicily
and Reggio Calabria
, Calabria
, both of which were devastated by respective earthquakes. He dedicated three years to help those in need, most especially the caring of orphans. In 1915 he went to Marsica
when that region had a similarly devastating earthquake. That same year he founded the Congregation of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity.
At the end of World War I
, Don Orione began to expand his work. He founded schools, farming colonies, and charity organizations—always with a special emphasis on helping orphans and the poor. Over the next two decades, he started foundations throughout Italy and the Americas.
to recuperate, but not without a tinge of regret. On March 8, 1940, on the eve of his departure for Sanremo, Don Orione is recorded as saying, "It is not among the palm trees that I would like to die," he said, "but amongst the poor who are Jesus Christ." Four days later, surrounded by fellow priests of his Orionine order, Luigi Orione died. His last words were, "Jesus, Jesus! Jesus! I am going..."
Don Orione's mortal remains have rested in the crypt
of the Shrine of La Madonna della Guardia since his internment on March 19, 1940, the sanctuary in Tortona which he himself founded. His body was later exhumed in 1965 for examination. On October 26, 1980, Don Luigi Orione was beatified by Pope John Paul II
. Nearly twenty-four years later, Blessed Luigi Orione was canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 16, 2004.
Today, the charitable organizations begun by Saint Luigi Orione are still operating in abundance throughout the world. In America, the national shrine and headquarters of the Orionine order
is located on a well-known hill in East Boston, Massachusetts
, known as Orient Heights
.
Life
Luigi Giovanni Orione was born into a poor family at PontecuronePontecurone
Pontecurone is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located on the left bank of the Curone, about 100 km east of Turin and about 25 km east of Alessandria....
, in the Province of Alessandria
Province of Alessandria
The Province of Alessandria is an Italian province, with a population of some 430,000, which forms the southeastern part of the region of Piedmont. The provincial capital is the city of Alessandria....
, Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
on the Vigil
Vigil
A vigil is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance...
of the feast day
Calendar of saints
The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the feast day of said saint...
of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
Nativity of St. John the Baptist
The Nativity of St. John the Baptist is a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of John the Baptist, a prophet who foretold the coming of the Messiah in the person of Jesus and who baptized Jesus.-Significance:Christians have long interpreted the life of John the Baptist as a preparation for...
. He was named after Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
Aloysius Gonzaga
- Early life :Aloysius Gonzaga was born at his family's castle in Castiglione delle Stiviere, between Brescia and Mantova in northern Italy in what was then part of the Papal States. He was a member of the illustrious House of Gonzaga...
and Saint John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
. He was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
the next day by Don Michele Cattaneo, a parish priest of Pontecurone. His father, Vittorio, was a street paver of few words and his mother, Carolina, was an energetic, pious, thrifty homemaker. Luigi Orione was a student at the Valdocco Oratory in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
.
He gained the attention of St. John Bosco
John Bosco
John Bosco , was an Italian Catholic priest, educator and writer of the 19th century, who put into practice the convictions of his religion, dedicating his life to the betterment and education of street children, juvenile delinquents, and other disadvantaged youth and employing teaching methods...
, who numbered him among his favorite pupils. Since the age of thirteen, Luigi suffered from health problems. However, three years later, at the age of sixteen, he was present at Don Bosco's death in Turin in 1888. Immediately upon his death, Luigi's ailments were miraculously cured.
In 1892, the 20-year-old seminarian opened his own oratory, and the following year he started a vocational school for the poor. He was ordained a priest on April 13, 1895.
Starting in 1899, Don Orione started to gather a group of priests and clerics that were to become Piccola Opera della Divina Provvidenza, or the Little Work of the Divine Providence
Sons of Divine Providence
The Sons of Divine Providence , or Orionine Fathers, was founded in 1893 by Saint Luigi Orione in Turin, Italy...
. In 1903 the group received the full imprimatur of the bishop, and it became what is still called to this day the "Sons of Divine Providence".
One of the priests who was in his inner circle was Lorenzo Perosi, who later became Perpetual Director of the Sistine Chapel Choir
Sistine Chapel Choir
The Sistine Chapel Choir is a choir based in Vatican City and is one of the oldest religious choirs in the world. At present, the choir comprises approximately twenty adult singers and thirty unpaid boy choristers .-Middle Ages :Although it is known that the Church, from her earliest days,...
and one of the most famous composers of sacred music. Perosi was born in the same year and the same province (Tortona
Tortona
Tortona is a comune of Piemonte, in the Province of Alessandria, Italy. Tortona is sited on the right bank of the Scrivia between the plain of Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines.-History:...
) as Orione; they remained lifelong friends.
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
, Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
, both of which were devastated by respective earthquakes. He dedicated three years to help those in need, most especially the caring of orphans. In 1915 he went to Marsica
Marsica
Marsica is a geographical area in the Abruzzo, central Italy, including 37 comuni in the province of L'Aquila, the most important of which is Avezzano. It is located between the plain of the former Lake Fucino, the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise, the plain of Carsoli and the valley of...
when that region had a similarly devastating earthquake. That same year he founded the Congregation of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity.
At the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Don Orione began to expand his work. He founded schools, farming colonies, and charity organizations—always with a special emphasis on helping orphans and the poor. Over the next two decades, he started foundations throughout Italy and the Americas.
Shrine of the Madonna della Guardia
In 1931, he founded the Shrine of the Madonna della Guardia in Tortona, which to this day is the principal church in the world for the Orionine order. It is also a center for annual music festivals in honor of Orione's friend, the hitherto mentioned Perosi.Final illness and death
In the winter of 1940, Don Orione started to suffer serious cardiac and pulmonary ailments. He went to SanremoSanremo
Sanremo or San Remo is a city with about 57,000 inhabitants on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in north-western Italy. Founded in Roman times, the city is best known as a tourist destination on the Italian Riviera. It hosts numerous cultural events, such as the Sanremo Music Festival...
to recuperate, but not without a tinge of regret. On March 8, 1940, on the eve of his departure for Sanremo, Don Orione is recorded as saying, "It is not among the palm trees that I would like to die," he said, "but amongst the poor who are Jesus Christ." Four days later, surrounded by fellow priests of his Orionine order, Luigi Orione died. His last words were, "Jesus, Jesus! Jesus! I am going..."
Don Orione's mortal remains have rested in the crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
of the Shrine of La Madonna della Guardia since his internment on March 19, 1940, the sanctuary in Tortona which he himself founded. His body was later exhumed in 1965 for examination. On October 26, 1980, Don Luigi Orione was beatified by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. Nearly twenty-four years later, Blessed Luigi Orione was canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 16, 2004.
Today, the charitable organizations begun by Saint Luigi Orione are still operating in abundance throughout the world. In America, the national shrine and headquarters of the Orionine order
Sons of Divine Providence
The Sons of Divine Providence , or Orionine Fathers, was founded in 1893 by Saint Luigi Orione in Turin, Italy...
is located on a well-known hill in East Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, known as Orient Heights
Orient Heights
Orient Heights is an historic section of East Boston. The neighborhood sits on a hill named "Orient Heights;" the hill measures 152 feet in elevation at its highest point...
.