20 Facts About Tommaso Reggio

Tommaso Reggio was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Genoa from 1892 until his death.

Tommaso Reggio was the founder of the Sisters of Saint Martha.

Tommaso Reggio tended to the injured in the rubble and led initiatives to direct diocesan resources towards the displaced and the injured; while in Genoa he collaborated with Bishop Giovanni Battista Scalabrini in tending to immigrants through a range of different pastoral initiatives.

Tommaso Reggio was born in Genoa on 9 January 1818 to Marquis Giovanni Giacomo Reggio and Angela Maria Pareto; he was baptized on 10 January in the archdiocesan cathedral of San Lorenzo.

Tommaso Reggio made his First Communion and received his Confirmation on 10 April 1828 from the Bishop of Saluzzo Antonio Podesta.

Tommaso Reggio received his initial education at home from a private teacher and then his high school education in Genoa from the Somaschi Fathers and on 1 August 1838 received his Bachelor of Law from the Genoa college.

Tommaso Reggio received his ordination to the priesthood on 18 September 1841 after the conclusion of his ecclesial studies from Cardinal Placido Maria Tadini; he celebrated his first Mass in Gavi in Alessandria in the church of San Maurizio.

Tommaso Reggio was appointed in 1843 as the vice-rector of seminarians in Genoa while later serving as the rector of seminarians in Chiavari from 1845 until 1851.

Tommaso Reggio was named as the Bishop of Ventimiglia and as the titular Bishop of Tanis; he received his episcopal consecration in mid-1877.

Tommaso Reggio founded the Sisters of Saint Martha on 15 October 1878 which he determined was to be a congregation devoted to caring for the poor.

Tommaso Reggio opened new parishes and organized three diocesan gatherings of bishops and priests and focused on liturgical revival.

Tommaso Reggio founded orphanages at Ventimiglia and Sanremo for those children who had lost their families in the quake.

Tommaso Reggio set up a network for immigrants and worked alongside Bishop Giovanni Battista Scalabrini to that end.

Tommaso Reggio presided over the funeral of Umberto I on 8 August 1900 with papal permission to do so.

Tommaso Reggio made a pilgrimage on 13 September 1901 to Triora due to the unveiling of a new statue of Jesus Christ on Mount Saccarello with diocesan priests; he could not ascend the mountain due to being struck with a sudden and violent knee pain forcing him to remain in bed.

Tommaso Reggio died in the afternoon on 22 November 1901 at 2:20pm with his last words being: "God, God, God alone is enough for me".

Tommaso Reggio's remains were interred in Genoa after the funeral at the cathedral but later relocated in 1951.

Tommaso Reggio's order received the papal decree of praise from Pope Pius XI on 13 May 1928 who granted pontifical approval later on 21 May 1935; in 2008 his order had 527 religious in 63 houses in countries such as Argentina and Lebanon.

Tommaso Reggio was named as Venerable on 18 December 1997 after Pope John Paul II confirmed his life of heroic virtue.

Tommaso Reggio's beatification depended on the approval of a miraculous healing that neither medicine nor science could explain.