53 Facts About Dominic Savio

Dominic Savio was a 19th-century Italian teenager who was a student of John Bosco who became a Catholic saint.

Dominic Savio was studying to be a priest when he became ill and died at the age of 14, possibly from pleurisy.

Dominic Savio was noted for his piety and devotion to the Catholic faith, and was canonized a saint by Pope Pius XII in 1954.

Much of the biographical information known about Dominic Savio comes from his biography written by John Bosco, in addition to the testimonies given by Dominic Savio's family and friends.

The son of Carlo and Brigitta Savio, Dominic was born on 2 April 1842 in the village of Riva, 2 miles from the town of Chieri, in Piedmont, northern Italy.

Dominic Savio's father was a blacksmith and his mother, a seamstress.

Dominic Savio's parents took great care to give him a Christian upbringing.

John Bosco records that Dominic Savio's parents recollect how he used to help his mother around the house, welcome his father home, say his prayers without being reminded, and say Grace at mealtimes unfailingly.

Giovanni Zucca from Murialdo, who was then the chaplain at Murialdo when Dominic Savio was five years old, notes in a statement to John Bosco that he came to notice Dominic Savio due to his regular church attendance with his mother, and his habit of kneeling down outside the church to pray if he happened to come to church before it had been unlocked in the morning.

The chaplain notes that Dominic Savio made good progress at the village school not merely due to his cleverness, but by working hard.

Dominic Savio spent much time praying and reading in preparation, asking his mother's forgiveness for anything he might have done to displease her and then went to church.

For secondary education, Dominic Savio had to go to another school and it was decided that he would go to the County School at Castelnuovo, three miles from his home.

Dominic Savio was four years the senior of John Bosco, and was Bosco's mentor and advisor.

Accordingly, accompanied by his father, Dominic Savio met John Bosco on 2 October 1854, the first Monday of that month.

Ten minutes later, he found Dominic Savio was beside him reciting the page and explaining its meaning satisfactorily.

John Bosco records that when Dominic Savio arrived at the Oratory, he at once placed himself under his guidance.

John Bosco notes how Dominic Savio was obedient to his teachers and chose his companions carefully.

Don Bosco records that, at the advice of his confessor, Dominic Savio renewed his First Communion promises at the altar of Mary at the Oratory.

Around six months after Dominic Savio had come to the Oratory, he had the occasion to listen to a talk on sainthood.

Dominic Savio now felt that he had not long to live.

The means Dominic Savio proposed to this end were: to honour, and to bring others to honour, Mary by different means, and to encourage frequent Communion.

Bosco notes that Dominic Savio observed this practice devoutly, and that one day, Dominic Savio said that he would be the first amongst the group to die.

Dominic Savio's health was steadily deteriorating, but he spent most of his time with his friends, talking with them, and encouraging those who were experiencing troubles.

Dominic Savio helped at the school infirmary whenever his companions were admitted.

Dominic Savio said his farewell to John Bosco, asking as a keepsake that Bosco add his name to the list of those who would participate in the Plenary Indulgence that John Bosco had received from the Pope, to which John Bosco readily agreed.

Dominic Savio then took leave of his friends with great affection, which surprised them, for his illness was not considered by many of his companions to be serious.

Dominic Savio was sure that his death was approaching, and asked that he be allowed to make his Confession and receive Communion.

Dominic Savio's father wrote in a letter to John Bosco, conveying the news of the death of his son,.

One day, in the absence of his teacher, two of Dominic Savio's classmates stuffed the room-heating iron stove with snow and rubbish as a prank.

On being asked why he had remained silent, Dominic Savio replied that he had thought that he would be let off with a scolding whereas the other boys might have been expelled.

Dominic Savio added that Jesus had remained silent when blamed unjustly and that he was trying to imitate him.

Mary Reed Newland, in her book, suggests that, since Dominic Savio was yet to meet John Bosco, this incident is indicative of the upbringing his parents had given him.

Dominic Savio tried to reason with them but with no positive result.

John Bosco records that Dominic Savio spent a lot of time with his friends, encouraging them in their devotions, discouraging those with a habit of swearing, and teaching Catechism at Sunday School.

John Bosco narrates that before he came to the Oratory, Dominic Savio made his Confession and took Communion once a month.

The regularity with which Dominic Savio approached the sacraments increased and, at the end of that year, as per the advice of his confessor, Dominic Savio was taking Communion daily.

Dominic Savio had a special intention for the Eucharist each day of the week.

John Bosco notes that, whenever permitted, Dominic Savio eagerly accompanied the priest when he took the Viaticum, and that he kept the habit of kneeling down in the street if he encountered the Eucharist being carried by a priest, as was the custom in Catholic countries.

John Bosco records that Dominic Savio occasionally had intense experiences during prayer, which Dominic Savio described as such: "It is silly of me; I get a distraction and lose the thread of my prayers and then I see such wonderful things that the hours pass by like minutes".

Dominic Savio was not aware that the morning Mass had ended.

John Bosco narrates how Dominic Savio came to his room one day and urged him to accompany him.

Dominic Savio led Bosco through many streets to a block of flats, rang the doorbell, and at once, went away.

John Bosco records that Dominic Savio once recounted to him a vision he had:.

Dominic Savio was robed magnificently and carried in his hand a torch alive with flames.

At his last goodbyes, Dominic Savio requested John Bosco to tell the pope of his vision, which he did in 1858.

On 12 September 1856, Dominic Savio asked John Bosco permission to go home, saying that his mother was ill, though he had received no communication.

Dominic Savio's mother was then expecting a baby and was in great pain, and when Dominic Savio reached the house, he hugged and kissed his mother, and then left.

Dominic Savio's mother felt her pain leave her and Dominic's baby sister, Catherine, was born.

The women assisting at the birth found that Dominic Savio had left a green scapular around his mother's neck.

Dominic Savio testified that it had been passed around to several other pregnant women and was later lost.

The veneration of Dominic Savio grew with an event narrated by his father:.

About a month after his death, during a very restless night, I saw, as it were, the ceiling opened, and Dominic Savio appeared in the midst of dazzling light.

Dominic Savio was declared Venerable in 1933 by Pope Pius XI, was beatified on 5 March 1950 by Pope Pius XII, and declared a saint in 1954.