Candido Amantini, CP, (January 31, 1914 – September 22, 1992), was an Italian

Passionist The Passionists, officially named the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ (), abbreviated CP, are a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men, founded by Paul of the Cross in 1720, with a special emphasis on a ...

priest. For 36 years Amantini was the

exorcist In some religions, an exorcist (from the Greek „ἐξορκιστής“) is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or performs the ridding of demons or other supernatural beings who are alleged to have possessed a person ...

of the Diocese of Rome, stationed at the Pontifical Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs. He also taught Sacred Scripture and Moral Theology and wrote a book entitled ''Il Mistero di Maria'', about the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

Personal life

Candido Amantini was born ''Eraldo Ulisse Mauro Amantini'' in Bagnolo di Santa Fiora,

Province of Grosseto The province of Grosseto () is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Grosseto. As of 2013 the province had a total population of 225,098 people. Geography The Province of Grosseto completely ...

, Tuscany, the second of four children born to Giovanni Battista Amantini and Diolinda Fratini Amantini. He was baptized on February 7, 1914. At age 12, he entered the

Seminary in Rome (Nettuno) on October 26, 1926. At the age of 15, on October 9, 1929, he entered the

novitiate The novitiate, also called the noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a Christian ''novice'' (or ''prospective'') monastic, apostolic, or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether ...

of the Passionists at the Retreat of St Joseph on Mount Argentario. On October 23, he received the

religious habit A religious habit is a distinctive set of clothing worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally, some plain garb recognizable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious Hermit, eremitic and Anchorite, anchorit ...

and was given the name ''Candido of the Immaculate''. On October 24, 1930, he made his temporary

vows A vow ( Lat. ''votum'', vow, promise; see vote) is a promise or oath. A vow is used as a promise that is solemn rather than casual. Marriage vows Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedding ...

. Amantini was transferred to Tavernuzze, near Florence, where he completed Lyceum in 1936. Then he went to Vinchiana, to complete his studies in philosophy and theology. On January 31, 1936, Amantini made his perpetual vows. Also in 1936, he was transferred to the Sanctuary of the Holy Staircase in Rome, to study for his licentiate in theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, ''Angelicum''. After a long illness, Amantini died at the night on the feast of Saint Candido, his patron. Amantini was buried in Rome at the Verano Cemetery. The Roman Catholic Church has named him a

Servant of God Servant of God () is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint. Terminology The expression ''Servant of God'' appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in ...

.https://www.scala-santa.com/en/p-candido-amantini/ His remains were transferred to the Church of the Holy Staircase on March 21, 2012.

References

* Amantini, C. (1987). Il mistero di Maria (The Mystery of Mary). Frigento (AV) (2 ed.) * Anonymous (2012). Servo di Dio Candido Amantini dell’Immacolata -Eraldo Amantini- Sacerdote Passionista (Servant of God Candido Amantini – Eraldo Amantini- Passionist Priest). http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/95422 * Amorth, G. (2000). An Exorcist: More Stories, ' Ignatius Press. * Amorth, G. (2002) L'esorcista della Scala Santa: Padre Candido Amantini (The Exorcist of the Church of the Holy Staircase: Fr. Candido Amantini). Il Crocifisso, Roma. * Pagliaro, M.C. (2009). Il Pastore delle valli oscure. L’esorcista, P. Candido Amantini. (The Shepherd of Dark Valleys: The Exorcist Fr. Candido Amantini). La Stella del Mare, Nettuno. {{DEFAULTSORT:Amantini, Candido 1914 births 1992 deaths People from Santa Fiora Catholic exorcists Passionists Italian Servants of God Pontifical Biblical Institute alumni 20th-century Italian Roman Catholic priests Italian exorcists Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas alumni