09/07/2025
IT'S OFFICIAL, PIER GIORGIO FRASSATI IS NOW A SAINT!
For years, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925) has been a significant global patron for youth, young adults, athletes, and "ordinary people" - and has a special place in the hearts of many young people across the United States and around the world. His example of Gospel living continues to inspire people a century after his death.
St. John Paul II declared him a patron for World Youth Days and deemed him the "Man of the Beatitudes" as he exemplified those blessings in his everyday life. Pope Francis listed him (CV 60) among the twelve exemplary saints for all young people in his apostolic exhortation, Christus Vivit, "who devoted their lives to Christ... precious reflections of the young Christ; their radiant witness encourages us and awakens us from our lethargy" (CV 49). Pope Francis echoed St. John Paul II by noting Frassati "was a young man filled with a joy that swept everything along with it, a joy that overcame many difficulties in his life" (CV 60).
Frassati was considered extraordinary in his "ordinariness" and is a great role model for "ordinary people" who strive to live their everyday lives to the fullest. Get to know more about Frassati.
Pier Giorgio was engaged in the life of the Church through regular worship and adoration, service to the poor and marginalized, advocacy for social justice for the disenfranchised and for religious liberty, regular participation in student and sports activities, devotion to his family, and joyful companionship with his friends and fellow Catholics in his community. He saw many parallels between Catholic life and his favorite pastime sport, mountain-climbing. He would regularly organize trips into the mountains with his close friends with occasions for prayer, liturgies, and conversations about faith on the way up to or down from the summit.
After what would become his final climb he wrote a simple note on a photograph: "Verso L'Alto", which means "to the heights." This phrase has since come to encapsulate his philosophy of mountaineering and his Catholic outlook on life and adventure. You can learn more about Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati at Frassati USA.
The Catholic Church holds up Pier Giorgio Frassati as an excellent role model for young people and young adults, athletes, and ordinary people for their own journey through life. Just like Frassati, we are continually called to set out on a voyage in our everyday lives to go "to the heights" to encounter Christ in all things, and in a particular way, through the community of the Church, those who are poor and marginalized, and the Holy Eucharist.
