Pier Giorgio Frassati, Vincentian to the End: Traveling Exhibition Tours Italy as His Upcoming Canonization is Announced

Saint Pierre, Aosta – On April 5, a traveling exhibition dedicated to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati was inaugurated in Aosta, organized by the Coordinamento Interregionale Piemonte e Valle d’Aosta of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. The exhibition, comprising eight visually and emotionally impactful panels, tells the story of this young Italian and his commitment to vulnerable communities through testimonies, documents, and photographs. It is available upon request to Central Councils and will next be displayed in Brescia from April 10 to 18.

Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901–1925) was born into a wealthy family in Turin but dedicated his life to serving people living in poverty. He was an active member of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and other social and religious movements. Frassati was noted for his deep faith, sense of humor, passion for mountain climbing, and unwavering commitment to justice. He died at the age of 24, leaving behind a powerful testimony of evangelical living that deeply moved both his generation and those that followed. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1990, who called him “the man of the eight Beatitudes.”

During the preparation of the exhibition, research by the organizing team uncovered Frassati’s early and profound connection to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. Among the findings was the last note he wrote with trembling hands just hours before his death, asking a friend to renew an insurance policy meant to support families he had been assisting: “The injections are for Sappa. The policy is for Converso; renew it yourself in my name.” This note illustrates how, even at the very end, his thoughts were with the vulnerable families he supported.

Frassati’s example continues to inspire young people and communities around the world. His canonization is scheduled for August 3, 2025, as part of the Jubilee of Youth in Rome.