Grimoaldo of the Purification

Grimoaldo of the Purification (4 May 1883 – 18 November 1902) – born Ferdinando Santamaria – was an Italian Roman Catholic clerical student from the Passionists. He had expressed his inclinations towards the religious life from his childhood when he served as an altar server and was exposed to the Passionist charism; but he did not join until 1899 once his father approved of his vocation, and he was professed in 1900. He then continued his studies – though this time for the priesthood – but died from meningitis before he could achieve this dream.

Santamaria's reputation for holiness was well-noted in his hometown during his life and it increased after his death, while devotion to him soared in Rochester, New York once his widowed mother and sister immigrated there. Pope John Paul II presided over his beatification in 1995. His mother and father – as well as numerous others – reported to have seen Santamaria appear to them, while emigration of relatives saw interest in him grow abroad with a particular emphasis in Rochester. His remains were later relocated in October 1962. His sister Vincenzina moved to Rochester sometime after his death and in 1920 his widowed mother moved in with her.

Beatification The beatification process opened in the Basque Country and Pontecorvo dioceses in an informative process that collected documents and witness testimonies right through 1957, before all documents were sealed in boxes and sent to the Congregation for Rites in Bilbao for investigation; the cause remained inactive until 5 October 1984 when the Congregation for the Causes of Saints validated the process. The postulation sent the Positio dossier to the C.C.S. in 1988 while theologians approved its contents on 9 October 1990 as did the C.C.S. themselves on 22 January 1991. On 14 May 1991 he became titled as Venerable after Pope John Paul II confirmed that Santamaria had lived a model life of heroic Christian virtues.

One miracle required approval for his beatification and one such Basque case was investigated before it received C.C.S. validation on 20 December 1991; a medical board approved this on 7 October 1993 as did theologians on 4 February 1994 and the C.C.S. on 12 April 1994. John Paul II approved this case on 2 July 1994 and beatified Santamaria in Saint Peter's Square on 29 January 1995. His three nieces from Rochester – Mary Panella Agostinelli, Helene Panella Schlegel and Ida Panella Turan, as well as dozens of great nephews, nieces and their children – were present at the beatification as was Nicola Romano (who was cured through Santamaria's intercession).

The current postulator for this cause is the Passionist priest Giovanni Zubiani.

Miracle The miracle that led to his beatification involved the child Nicola Romano who was involved in what should have been a fatal tractor accident; his father appealed to Santamaria to save him and doctors became baffled that the child escaped the accident without mortal injuries.