Alessandro Baldrati – Wikipedia

Giacomo Baldrati , in religion Alexander (Lugo, September 26, 1595 – Chio, 10 February 1645), was an Italian Christian monk, Dominican martyr originally from Romagna.

Giacomo Baldrati was born in Lugo from Cesare Baldrati and Lucia de ‘Bianchi, first of three children. Since childhood he showed predisposition for studies, showing a lively intelligence and great interest in theology. He was described as a good and obedient boy, who as soon as he could take refuge in the church. At 17 he asked and obtained to be ordained Dominican, changing his name from Giacomo to Alessandro (1612). During the novitiate, the order assigned him to Faenza and then to Naples, where he finished his studies.

Friar Alessandro was then ordained a priest and sent to the Dominican Studium of Bologna as a teacher; subsequently he taught at the sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Arco in Naples (the study general of the order) ^[first] . In the Neapolitan city he was the confessor of the viceroy. Here, as the witnesses report, he dedicated half of his time to God and half to his neighbor, without reserving a minute to himself. The excess of work undermined his health, making him fall into a nervous crisis. Alessandro was known for his cheerful and good -natured character, but suddenly he became anxious and depressed. It seems that his confreres would derive him, further aggravating his malaise. He was transferred to Venice and then, since his condition did not improve, it was decided to send him to Smyrne. Subsequently, at the request of the Archbishop of Edessa, the Dominican Fra Giacomo Subian, sailed for the island of Chio, who was then part of the Ottoman Empire and was governed by the Turks. In this hostile place, the Dominican finally found a place in him: he stayed in the small monastery of San Sebastiano, but spent his days preaching at the population. His intent was to convert the highest possible number of souls to Christianity. To be accepted by the population, he decided to dress like the locals. His activity, as declared the archbishop of Edessa, collected a “abundant fruit of souls” among the inhabitants of the island. But when the authorities, who initially believed that Friar Alessandro was a converted to Islamism, understood who he really thought they were mocking and arrested him ^[2] .

Locked up in prison, Friar Alessandro was subjected to a long torture: his torturers thus hoped to make him inhabit. Dragged before the court, he reiterated his Christian faith and was sentenced to the stake for blasphemy. On February 10, 1645, after a last interrogation, Alessandro was taken to the moment of torture. According to the witnesses, he maintained a calm and peaceful attitude throughout the journey, declaring himself happy to die for Jesus. He did not even shake when they tied him to the pole of the stake. He was given one last chance to save himself when a Muslim official declared: “Raise a finger to show that you believe in the god of Muhammad, the only true God, and your life will be free.” Sanguinante and stiffened by the ropes, the Dominican raised three fingers and shouted: “I believe in God the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Spirit”. Immediately afterwards the fire was set. When he understood what his end had to be, Alessandro spontaneously launched himself in the middle of the flames. The Christians of Chio managed to save the few remains of the martyr, who soon became the subject of veneration. Some of his relics were then sent to various Dominican locations, including that of Lugo. The Order of the Dominicans immediately began to venerate him as blessed, also by virtue of numerous miracles that were attributed to him. One of them took place on August 24 of the same year 1645, when one of his image freed from arthritic pains Antonio Bruno Messinese, who had lived in bed for years ^[2] .

His best known portrait was carried out by Joannes Margotti (1770) and is kept in the church of the Collegiate of Lugo.

• Lion raised, Life and death of the P.F. Alessandro Baldrati by Lugo, made to die in the city of Scio by the Turks from the Catholic faith Li 10. of Febraro 1645 , Rome, 1657 ( digitized version )