FACCHINI, Elia, Blessed. — Born at Reno Centese (Ferrara) on 2 July 1839, died in China at Tai-Yuan-fu (Shansi) on 9 July 1900, a victim of the Boxer persecution. He donned the Franciscan habit in 1854 and in 1868 set out as a missionary for Shansi (China).
He first exercised his ministry at Ta-tong-fu, but was soon recalled to serve as rector of the native seminary in Tai-yuan-fu. His mission was to educate in the seminary, where, after a period at Tong-eul-kon as first superior of the Franciscan convent erected there by Mons. Grassi, he spent the 30 years of his missionary life, strengthening rather than failing his young charges, with whom he shared in martyrdom. He was beatified by Pius XII on 21 November 1946.
Bibl.: G. Ricci, Barbarie e tifoni, 2nd ed., Florence 1909, pp. 427-518; id., Acta Martyrum Sinensium, Quamachi 1911, passim (v. index); C. Silvestri, La testimonianza del sangue, Rome 1943, pp. 107-34 and 475-514.