SERRANO, FRANCESCO, blessed. - Spanish Dominican missionary and martyr, b. at Hueneja (Guadix, Andalusia) on 4 Dec. 1695, d. at Fuceu (Fokien, China) on 28 Oct. 1748.
He professed in the convent of S. Croce in Granada on 22 Apr. 1714. In 1725 he left for the missions of the East, and in 1727 entered China. He resided in the house of S. Rosa at Loyen, of which he was several times vicar, and likewise repeatedly provincial vicar of the Chinese Dominican mission. For almost twenty years he travelled throughout Fokien with apostolic zeal, until in June 1746 he was arrested together with his confrères, Msgr. Pietro M. Sanz (d. 26 May 1747), G. Alcober, G. Royo, and Fr. Diaz. During his imprisonment at Fuceu, he received notification of his appointment (Jan. 1748) as titular bishop of Tipasa and as coadjutor, with right of succession, in the apostolic vicariate of Fokien to Msgr. Sanz (whose martyrdom was still unknown in Rome), but he could not be consecrated. He was strangled in prison together with the three confrères.
All four, together with Msgr. Sanz, were beatified by Leo XIII on 18 Apr. 1893. Feast day: 3 June.