Nunzio Sulprizio

Nunzio Sulprizio (13 April 1817 – 5 May 1836) was an Italian Roman Catholic from Pescara who worked as an apprentice blacksmith. He suffered from poor health during his brief life and was considered to those who knew him to be a gentle and pious individual.

Sulprizio was beatified in late 1963 after the recognition of two miracles (direct healings) attributed to his intercession. He was baptized before sunset mere hours after his birth. His parents took him to the Bishop of Sulmona Francesco Tiberi on 16 May 1820 so he could receive his Confirmation in the faith. Theologians later approved his writings being in line with official Church doctrine on 7 September 1871 while the Congregation for Rites validated the informative phase sometime later on 20 September 1877. In September 1884 an antepreparatory committee met to discuss the cause as did a preparatory one in October 1889 and a last general committee on 6 February 1891. The successful conclusion of these processes meant that the cause could be taken to the pope for his final approval. He was proclaimed to be Venerable on 21 July 1891 after Pope Leo XIII confirmed that Sulprizio had lived a model life of heroic virtue. Following this process the documentation gathered was sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome for additional medical and theological examination. The C.C.S. approved this miracle at their meeting held on 5 June 2018. Pope Francis confirmed this miracle on 8 June and confirmed that Sulprizio would be canonized on 14 October 2018.

Canonization miracle The miracle that led to his canonization concerned a man who was injured in a motorbike accident who fell into a coma. One relic of Sulprizio was - at the request of his relations - placed in his hospital room. Almost a week later his parents were told he had made remarkable progress, and had awakened from his coma and not in a vegetative state as was believed.