Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati, born on April 6, 1901, to a prominent and wealthy Italian family, became a popular role model soon after he died on July 4, 1925, at the age of 24. He was declared a saint on Sept. 7 in Rome by Pope Leo XIV alongside the Church’s first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis.
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According to the website dedicated to Frassati by the U.S. Catholic bishops, for years Frassati has been “a significant global patron for youth and young adults — and has a special place in the hearts of young people across the United States as well. St. John Paul II declared him a patron for World Youth Days and deemed him ‘the man of the beatitudes’ as he exemplified those blessings in his everyday life.”
Here are 12 amazing facts about his short but very intense life:
1. His childhood was full of acts of charity.
Despite being raised by agnostic parents, Frassati’s inclinations to help others manifested in his childhood. Once, as a child, he answered the door to find a mother begging with her son who was shoeless. He took off his own shoes and gave them to the child.
2. His devotion to the Eucharist started early.
At an early age, he joined the Marian Sodality and the Apostleship of Prayer and obtained permission to receive daily Communion, which was rare at the time.
3. He had a very playful side.
At the same time, Frassati was known among his friends as “Il Terrore” (“The Terror”) due to his fondness for practical jokes.
4. He served the poor through the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
At 17, he joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society and dedicated much of his spare time taking care of the poor, the homeless, the sick, and the demobilized servicemen returning from World War I.
5. He spoke out against Mussolini and fascism.
In 1919, Frassati joined the Catholic Student Foundation and the Popular Party, whose principles were based in the social doctrine of the Church. He strongly opposed the rise of fascist leader Benito Mussolini and was jailed in Rome after joining the protest of the Catholic Workers’ Association.
6. He was known for his radical generosity and love for the poor.
Pier Giorgio became known for giving literally everything he had to the poor. He would even use his bus fare for charity and then run home to be on time for meals.
7. He loved the mountains.
An avid and accomplished mountain climber, he saw many parallels between Catholic life and his favorite pastime. He would regularly organize trips into the mountains with occasions for prayers and conversations about faith on the way up or down from the summit.
8. A simple note he wrote became a famous motto.
After what would become his final climb, he wrote a simple note on a photograph: “Verso L’Alto” (“To the heights”) — a phrase that has become a popular Catholic motto.
9. He died of polio.
At 24, Frassati became very ill with polio. Some of his friends believed that he contracted the disease from the people in the slums of Turin. In his last days, he whispered the names of people who still needed assistance to his family and friends who gathered at his bedside. He died on July 4, 1925.
10. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II.
Pier Giorgio Frassati was declared “blessed” in 1990 by Pope John Paul II, who called him a “man of the beatitudes” and a “joyful apostle of Christ.” A year before, after visiting his tomb, John Paul II revealed that he also had felt in his own youth “the beneficial influence of his example.”
“He left the world rather young,” he said, “but he made a mark upon our entire century.”
11. His sister wrote a tribute to him.
In her biography of her brother, Frassati’s sister, Luciana, wrote that “he represented the finest in Christian youth: pure, happy, enthusiastic about everything that is good and beautiful.”
12. He is a patron of youth and students around the world.
Pier Giorgio Frassati’s popularity is big among young people, especially in America. Many apostolates have been created with his name, and he is regarded as the patron of students (mainly because he wasn’t good at school), young Catholics, mountaineers, youth groups, Catholic Action, Dominican tertiaries (he became one), and World Youth Day.
This CNA story was first published on July 4, 2021, and was updated on Sept. 5, 2025.
