Candido died with a Rosary in his hands, not as a mere exterior devotion, but with the entirety of the Gospel that it contains—in his hands, mind, and heart—for it had formed him to be the man of God that he was and remains in everlasting life. (From the Foreword)

The Servant of God, Fr. Candido Amantini (1914-1992), was a Passionist priest who spent himself tirelessly working as an exorcist at the Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs in Rome. He is most widely known as the person who trained Fr. Gabriele Amorth in the ministry of exorcism.

The legacy of this Servant of God serves a great purpose. While anyone with experience in the ministry of exorcism can recount supernatural phenomena they have personally witnessed, it is often overlooked, by those who hear these stories, that exorcists spend most of their time working quietly, tediously, and virtuously as they strive valiantly to aid those who are suffering.

It is with this in mind that the author of this book brings to life the Servant of God, Fr. Candido Amantini. After just a few pages into the book, it becomes clear that Amantini was endowed with an extraordinary degree of virtue. He was always present with a smile, a word of comfort, and a consolation; he gave hope to countless people who had no hope.

This work, as with any which feature the life of a saint—makes one desire to imitate Fr. Amantini and to grow in holiness after his example. This book is not simply a biography of Fr. Amantini: it is a work of spirituality. Its purpose is to assist the reader to grow in holiness, to gain wisdom, and to deepen the virtue of hope. The life of the Servant of God, Fr. Candido Amantini, shows us what it means to be happy, to be free, and to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

Andrea Maniglia (Monteroni di Lecce, 1988) obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, as well as a Licentiate in Theology with a specialization in Theological Anthropology and a Doctorate in Theological Anthropology (conducting research on the Mariology of the Calabrian theologian Stefano De Fiores, 1933–2012) from the Pontifical Theological Faculty Teresianum in Rome. He is a Religion teacher for the Archdiocese of Milan and collaborates with various Catholic journals. He has authored several publications of a hagiographic nature.