11 Facts About Pino Puglisi

Pino Puglisi openly challenged the Sicilian Mafia who controlled the neighbourhood and was killed by them on his 56th birthday.

Pino Puglisi is the first person killed by the Mafia who has been beatified by the Catholic Church.

Pino Puglisi's father was a shoemaker and his mother a dressmaker.

Pino Puglisi was ordained as a priest on 2 July 1960 by Cardinal Ernesto Ruffini from Palermo.

In 1990, Pino Puglisi returned to his old quarter Brancaccio and became the pastor of San Gaetano's Parish.

Pino Puglisi spoke out against the Mafia who controlled the area and opened a shelter for underprivileged children.

Pino Puglisi had been offered other parishes by the local curia, in less troublesome Palermo neighbourhoods, but he opted for San Gaetano.

Pino Puglisi tried to discourage the children from dropping out of school, robbing, drug dealing and selling contraband cigarettes.

Pino Puglisi ignored a series of warnings and declined to award a contract to a construction firm which had been "indicated" to him by the Mafia for the restoration of the church, where the roof was collapsing.

Pino Puglisi was taken unconscious to a local hospital, where surgeons could not revive him.

The beatification of Pino Puglisi took place on 25 May 2013.