Do you know the Blessed who dedicated his time to helping the less fortunate? The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the World Youth Day has chosen 13 Patrons for the largest gathering of young people from around the world with the Pope. Among them is Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who dedicated his life to helping the less fortunate. To get to know him better, we present ten facts about the life of this Patron:

1.

Pier Giorgio Frassati was born in Turin, Italy, on April 6, 1901. The young Saint is the son of painter Adelaide Ametis and Alfredo Frassati, founder and director of the newspaper La Stampa.

2.

The patron of WYD Lisbon 2023 attended a school run by Jesuits and developed a deep spiritual life, joining the Marian Congregation and the Apostleship of Prayer.

3.

At the age of 17, he joined the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, devoting most of his free time to the sick and needy. He also cared for orphans and soldiers.

4.

His purpose was to serve the poorest and most suffering, for whom he was always a true servant, seeing this mission as a privilege.

5.

For Pier Giorgio, charity was not just about giving something to the needy, but also giving himself entirely. The dedication he showed them daily was sustained by his devotion to Christ in the Eucharist.

6.

The Saint was also a sports enthusiast, with a particular passion for mountaineering, considering excursions with friends as "concrete moments of apostolate."

7.

Shortly before his graduation, Pier Giorgio fell ill with poliomyelitis, an infectious disease that, according to doctors, he contracted due to his dedication to the sick. After six days of intense suffering, he passed away on July 4, 1925, at the young age of 24. The poor were his ultimate concern.

8.

In 1989, after visiting Pier Giorgio's tomb in Pollone, Pope Saint John Paul II said, "I want to pay tribute to a young man who knew how to bear witness to Christ with unique effectiveness in our century. In my youth, I also experienced the beneficial influence of his Christian example."

9.

Saint John Paul II beatified Pier Giorgio Frassati on May 20 of the following year and appointed him Patron of Athletes, considering him "the Man of the Eight Beatitudes, who carries with him the grace of the Gospel, the Good News, the joy of salvation that Christ offers us."

10.

Shortly afterward, the young Saint's remains were transferred from the Frassati family tomb in Pollone to the Cathedral of Turin. His feast day is celebrated on July 4.

 In the Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit, Pope Francis recalled that "the heart of the Church is also full of young saints who gave their lives for Christ, many of them even to martyrdom," and highlighted that Blessed Giorgio Frassati "was a young man of communicative joy, a joy that also overcame the many difficulties of his life. He said he wanted to repay the love of Jesus that he received in Communion by visiting and helping the poor."