Leopoldo da Gaiche

Leopoldo da Gaiche (30 October 1732 – 2 April 1815), born Giovanni Croci, was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and a professed member of the Order of Friars Minor who became well known for wearing a crown of thorns. He was a preacher who went from diocese to diocese and served in a position of power in the Franciscan order in the Umbrian region in which he pushed for strong adherence to the Rule of Saint Francis of Assisi. He has been called the "Apostle of Umbria".

His beatification cause started earlier than was the norm due to miracles being done at his tomb and Pope Leo XIII beatified him on 12 March 1893 after the verification of two miracles.

Life Giovanni Croci was born on 30 October 1732 to poor farmers and he lived a pious life which he picked up from his devout parents; he also worked as a shepherd as a child. From his parish priest he did most of his studies and also learned catechism.

Croci kept with him a journal in which it was later learned that he did 330 missions that each lasted an average of two weeks and he also led a total of 40 Lenten retreats.

During a sermon for Christmas in 1814 he was taken ill and would later die on 2 April 1815 of that illness and was buried in the Church of Saint Francis in Spoleto; his tomb became the site of reported miracles.

Beatification

The process of beatification opened in Spoleto in 1844 under Pope Gregory XVI and was the site of two diocesan processes that would collect evidence for the potential sanctification of Leopoldo da Gaiche. Upon the recognition of his model life of heroic virtue he was proclaimed to be Venerable on 13 February 1855 after Pope Pius IX granted his approval to the Congregation of Rites' findings.

The acceptance of two miracles attributed to his intercession allowed for Pope Leo XIII to celebrate his beatification on 12 March 1893.

The current postulator of the cause is Father Giovangiuseppe Califano, O.F.M.