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On pilgrimage in Rome during the Holy Year of 1625, Father Antonio visited the important sites of St. Philip and learned much about him from Father Consolini. This knowledge served him well when he was elected provost of the Fermo Oratory, a position he held for 36 years, from 1635 until his death.
Father Antonio exemplified the Oratorian spirit of humility. He was not known for doing anything extraordinary; he was not a missionary, mystic or ascetic. He rarely left the small city where he had been born and raised. He did not need to go elsewhere, for he was content to serve God quietly in the everyday tasks that, when done well, bring about sanctification. He is known to have placed great importance on adherence to the few rules of the Oratory which keep its members close to the spirit of St. Philip.
As a priest, Father Antonio was reknowned as a confessor and known as the “priest of the poor” for his extraordinary charity. He was particularly adept at resolving disputes among rivals, earning the moniker “angel of peace”. And he was especially known for his faithfulness in visiting the sick and the dying.
During his own long final illness in 1671, Father Antonio was constantly attended at his bedside by the Archbishop of Fermo. He is said to have repeatedly told his confreres, “What a beautiful thing it is to die as sons of St. Philip.” While the Fermo Oratory no longer exists, Blessed Antonio Grassi’s remains are venerated under the altar of the Church of Mt. Carmel in Fermo. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII during the Holy Year of 1900, the third Oratorian to be so honored.
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