Alberto Marvelli

Alberto Marvelli (21 March 1918 – 5 October 1946) was an Italian Catholic and a member of the Catholic Action movement. He became noted for his defense of the poor and for selflessness during World War II in tending to the homeless and wounded despite the devastating air raids while placing himself at risk in doing so. Marvelli also saved numerous people from deportation since he would free them from sealed train carriages before the train could set off. Marvelli was also an active champion for social justice and was known for giving his possessions to the poor and homeless, especially during the harsh winter periods. He served as a town councilor for some time after the war and helped in restoration efforts though he died in an accident before election as a Christian Democrat candidate. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints issued an official declaration of "nihil obstat" (nothing against the cause) and assigned him the title of Servant of God.

The process of beatification began under Pope Paul VI on 16 January 1975. The conditional process of investigation was held in Rimini from 13 July 1975 until its successful closure on 17 August 1976 while the Congregation validated the investigation on 29 May 1981 in Rome. The postulation (officials in charge of the cause) compiled and submitted the Positio dossier to the Congregation for its evaluation in 1983. It received the approval of theologians on 23 October 1985 and the members of the Congregation confirmed the approval on 4 February 1986. Alberto Marvelli was declared to be Venerable on 22 March 1986 after Pope John Paul II affirmed that he had lived a life of heroic virtue.

The miracle for his beatification was investigated conducted by a tribunal of the Archdiocese of Bologna presided over by Cardinal Giacomo Biffi. On 23 January 1998, meeting in Rome, the Congregation confirmed the validity of the investigation and on 14 November 2002 a panel of medical experts declared they could find no scientific explanation for the healing believed to have been worked at the intercession of Marvelli. Theologians concurred in this decision on 4 March 2003 and their decision was confirmed by the Congregation's members on 20 May 2003. John Paul II issued final assent needed for the miracle on 7 July 2003 and personally beatified Marvelli in Loreto on 5 September 2004.

The miracle that led to his beatification was the healing in August 1991 of a doctor from Bologna named Tito Malfatti of an aggressive hernia. Over 250,000 people attended the beatification celebration.

The current postulator for the cause is the Redemptorist priest Antonio Marazzo and the current vice-postulator is Fausto Lanfranchi.