Blessed Placido Riccardi

Biography

Blessed Placido Riccardi, also known as Tommaso Riccardi or Thomas Riccardi, was born on June 24, 1844, in Trevi, Umbria, Italy. Having spent his youth engaged in worldly pursuits, Placido eventually turned towards a more spiritual path. In 1865, he moved to Rome to study philosophy at the Angelicum College under the Dominicans.

During his studies, Placido underwent a profound conversion experience that led him to embark on a pilgrimage to the renowned Marian shrine of Loreto. The journey deepened his faith, and upon his return to Rome, he made the decision to enter the Cassinese Benedictine abbey of Saint-Paul-Outside-the-Walls on November 12, 1866. Placido took the name Placido upon his final profession as a monk on January 19, 1868.

As a deacon, Placido faced a challenging period when he was arrested for refusing to join the Italian army, leading to his imprisonment in Florence. Subsequently, he was sent to serve in the 57th Infantry Regiment in Livorno. After his release, Placido returned to Rome and resumed his studies. On March 25, 1871, he was ordained as a priest.

Placido's deep spirituality and exceptional teaching abilities led him to become a revered spiritual director. One of his notable students was the future Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster, who would later become the Archbishop of Milan.

However, Placido's life was not without hardships. In 1881, he contracted malaria, which plagued him for the remainder of his days, often causing him to suffer from paralyzing fevers. In 1882, he was assigned to the San Pietro monastery in Perugia, where he served as a spiritual director and offered guidance to the monastery's community.

Later, in 1887, Placido was appointed rector to the Benedictines in Rome. His reputation as a wise and compassionate leader continued to grow, and in 1894, he became the rector of the Basilica of Santa Maria di Farfa in Rome. Placido chose to live in a hermitage near the castle of San Fiano during this time and also served as a confessor to a nearby convent of Poor Clare nuns.

Known for his holiness and humility, Placido Riccardi passed away on March 25, 1915, in Rome, Italy, due to natural causes. His relics were transferred to Farfa, Italy in 1925.

Recognizing his virtuous life and extraordinary spiritual qualities, Pope Pius XII declared Placido Riccardi Venerable on June 4, 1944, acknowledging his heroic virtues. Further, on December 5, 1954, Pope Pius XII beatified him, affirming his elevated status within the Catholic Church. To this day, Blessed Placido Riccardi is venerated on March 25, as well as on March 14 at the Saint-Paul-Outside-the-Walls Abbey in Rome, and December 5 by the Sylvestrines.