Francesco Spinelli was an Italian Catholic priest born in Milan in 1853. After his ordination in Bergamo, he dedicated his ministry to Eucharistic devotion. Following a difficult period involving a religious institute he co-founded with Geltrude Comensoli, he moved to Cremona. There, he established the Sisters Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament, a congregation focused on adoration. He died in Rivolta d'Adda in 1913 and was later recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church.
Life and ministry
Born in Milan, Spinelli spent much of his youth in Cremona. His religious vocation was encouraged by his mother and his uncle, a priest. After being ordained in 1875, he was inspired to found a religious order following a vision of women worshipping the Eucharist. Although his first attempt at founding a congregation in Bergamo faced significant challenges and eventual dissolution, he successfully established the Sisters Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament in 1892.
Veneration
The process for his sainthood began in the mid-20th century. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1992 after a miracle was attributed to his intercession. Following the investigation of a second miracle in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pope Francis canonized him in 2018. He is commemorated on February 6, the anniversary of his death.