RICCARDI, PLACIDO, BL.

Benedictine priest; b. Trevi, Italy, June 24, 1844; d. Rome, March 14, 1915. He was baptized Tommaso. After studying philosophy at the Angelicum in Rome, he joined the Benedictines in Rome at the Abbey of saint paul-outside-the walls (1867) and took the name Placido. In 1870 he was arrested for not presenting himself for military service, and was sentenced by a military tribunal in Florence to a one-year imprisonment as a deserter. The following month he was released from prison and placed in the army. After a month's service he was declared incapable of military service and dismissed. Thereupon he returned to his abbey and was ordained (1871). After spending several years there in various positions, he became in 1884 vicar for his abbot at S. Magno d'Amelia, a convent of Benedictine sisters juridically dependent on St. Paul's. In 1885 he returned to Rome as master of novices. He went again to S. Magno in 1887 as spiritual director for the sisters, and became highly esteemed as confessor for the clergy of that area. In 1895 he became rector of the ancient basilica in Farfa. His zealous labors there as pastor for the local faithful and his care for the pilgrims to Farfa gained him the title of apostle of the Sabine region. Serious illness caused him to spend his last three years in Rome. He was beatified in 1954.

Feast: March 14.

Bibliography: p. granfield, "Blessed Placid Riccardi," American Benedictine Review 5 (1954) 299–305. i. schuster, Profilo Storico del beato Placido Riccardi (Milan 1954). j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheureux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes, ed. by the Benedictines of Paris, 12 v. (Paris 1935–56); v. 13, suppl. and table générale (1959) 228–234.

[v. a. lapomarda]