Gioacchino Maria Stevan
Italian religious of the Order of Servites of Mary, declared Venerable by John Paul II in 1997.
Contemporaries
Figures and markers around the normalized period for this entry.
Guided reading
5 reading sections
Biography
Birth of Antonio Stevan in 1921, his modest youth in Nove, his involvement in Catholic Action, and his military service during the Second World War.
Antonio Stevan was born on November 18, 1921, in Nove, Italy. The fourth of five children of Valentino Stevan and Lucia Toniolo, he grew up in a modest family and began working in the family bakery at the age of ten. Despite a disrupted education, he obtained his primary school diploma as an independent candidate. From 1930, he became actively involved in Catholic Action. In January 1941, he was mobilized into the Alpine troops and sent to the Balkans and then to France. After the 1943 armistice, he returned to Nove to resume his work as a baker while evading roundups.
Life and work
Antonio's entry into the Servites of Mary under the name of Brother Gioacchino Maria, and his premature death from tuberculous meningitis.
After the war, Antonio felt the call to religious life. On May 1, 1947, he entered as a postulant and lay brother with the Servites of Mary at the convent of Monte Berico. He began his novitiate in October 1948 in Isola Vicentina under the name of Brother Gioacchino Maria. Desirous of becoming a missionary, his health deteriorated rapidly due to tuberculous meningitis. Hospitalized in Vicenza, he pronounced his temporary vows on his deathbed on April 20, 1949, and passed away on April 28, 1949, at the age of 27.
Path to holiness
The reputation for holiness of Brother Gioacchino Maria and the opening of his diocesan process in 1964.
The reputation for holiness of the young brother spread rapidly after his death due to his heroic living of the Christian virtues of obedience, poverty, and chastity. On September 9, 1964, Bishop Carlo Zinato, Bishop of Vicenza, officially opened the diocesan inquiry for his beatification, the file of which was subsequently transmitted to Rome.
Beatification and canonization
Recognition of the heroic nature of his virtues by John Paul II in 1997 and the transfer of his remains.
On April 8, 1997, Pope John Paul II signed the decree recognizing the heroic nature of the virtues of Antonio Gioacchino Maria Stevan, conferring upon him the title of Venerable. His cause now requires the recognition of a miracle for his beatification. His remains rest today intact in the crypt of the cloister of the sanctuary of the Madonna di Monte Berico in Vicenza.
Spirituality and legacy
The spiritual depth of his intimate writings, his Eucharistic and Marian devotion, and his memory in Nove.
Despite a limited education, Brother Gioacchino Maria left behind intimate writings of great spiritual depth, marked by a Eucharistic and Marian devotion and a spirit of offering. His hometown of Nove has honored his memory by dedicating a street to him.
Frequently asked questions about Gioacchino Maria Stevan
Who was Gioacchino Maria Stevan?
Italian religious of the Order of Servites of Mary, declared Venerable by John Paul II in 1997.
Which saints were contemporaries of Gioacchino Maria Stevan?
Contemporaries include: Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Felipe de Jesús Munárriz and 50 companions, Mariano de Jesús Euse Hoyos and Teresa of Jesus of the Andes.
When did Gioacchino Maria Stevan die?
Gioacchino Maria Stevan died around 1949.
What are the other names of Gioacchino Maria Stevan?
Other forms of the name: Antonio Stevan and Joachim-Marie.
Who are the relatives of Gioacchino Maria Stevan?
Relatives of Gioacchino Maria Stevan: Valentino Stevan (father) and Lucia Toniolo (mother).
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Era / death: 1921-1949
- Decree of venerability by John Paul II
Quotes
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I will never satisfy my thirst for love and reparation for Jesus
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