ANTONINO FANTOSATI, Blessed. — Born at S. Maria in Valle, a suburb of Trevi, on 16 Oct. 1842. At the age of 16 he entered the Franciscan Order in the Umbrian province and was ordained priest on the 23rd.
In 1867, together with Fr. Elia Facchini, he set out as a missionary for China.
Initially assigned to the Christian communities in Hupeh, he was soon transferred to the important river centre of Lao-ho-Kow, where his skill in the Chinese language and his apostolic zeal enabled him to gain a foothold in the hostile and refractory environment around him. In 1862 he was appointed vice-procurator of apostolic charity for southern Hunan at a most critical moment. When news came of the outbreak of persecution in July 1900, following the killing of his fellow missionary, the Blessed Cesidio Giacomantonio, at Heng-chow-fu, he and his companion G. Gambaro hastened to the scene. Once identified, they were showered with stones and, after two hours of agony, were killed by a pagan with an iron-tipped bamboo stake (7 July 1900).
He was solemnly beatified by Pius XII on 21 Nov. 1946.