Ginepro Cocchi
Ginepro Cocchi, OFM, born Antonio Cocchi, was an Italian religious priest of the Order of Friars Minor. He took the name of Ginepro after admittance into the Franciscan order. He served in the missions in China until 1939, when he was killed while evangelising in Chinese villages. He is buried in China.
He is a candidate for beatification with the title Servant of God.
Life
Antonio Cocchi was born in Artena on 13 October 1908 to Attilio Cocchi and Italia Cioccali.He commenced his studies for the priesthood in 1918 and was noted for his innocence and his mode of life. These mirrored the observations of the rector Elia Carosi, who was struck by the humble and diligent seminarian. He entered the novitiate of the Order of Friars Minor in Rieti on 10 September 1923, and he later assumed the habit with the name of "Ginepro". He made his simple vows on 15 October 1924. Among his classmates while undergoing theological studies in Rome were Giuseppe Beschin and Gabriele Allegra. He made his solemn profession on 8 December 1929, and on 19 July 1931, he was ordained to priesthood in the church of Sant'Ignazio. He celebrated his first Mass on 2 August.
Cocchi and 33 other missionaries had a private audience with Pope Pius XI in 1931, and on 30 September, the 34 men embarked for China to work in the missions. Two months after his arrival, he and fifteen other Franciscans met the Apostolic Vicar Agapito Fiorentini. He continued his theological studies and was sent to Kuo-hsien; he reached Ting-Shaing at the beginning of 1933, where he mastered the Chinese language. Seven months later, he was entrusted with several villages to work in.
On 6 March 1939, he arrived in the village of Shangliandi. One day, 30 communist soldiers burst into his room. He was beaten and dragged out of the village, where he was shot dead.