Alberic Crescitelli was an Italian Catholic priest and missionary who served in China during the late 19th century. Born in Altavilla Irpina in 1863, he joined the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions and was ordained in 1887. He moved to the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Shensi, located in modern-day Shaanxi province, to carry out his missionary work. He is remembered as a martyr, having died in Ningqiang County in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion.
Life and death
After his ordination, Crescitelli began his service in southern China in 1888. His life ended during the violent period of the Boxer Rebellion. While his death was described by Pope Pius XII as exceptionally brutal, his colleagues testified to his holiness, prompting a beatification process that began in 1908. He was later canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000 as one of the Martyrs of China.
Veneration and controversy
Crescitelli is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, with feast days observed on July 9 and July 21. His canonization faced significant opposition from Chinese authorities, who leveled various accusations against him. The Catholic Church has maintained that these claims are without merit, and during the canonization ceremony, the Pope offered an apology for historical errors committed by missionaries.