Martyr in China

Chapter 6. A desolate Aftermath

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Poverty, hunger and desolation in China following the Boxer Uprising

Some days later, Father Barnaba went to Shaanxi (Shenxi), the province to the south of their mission. He decided not to enter the province of the Shanxi via a direct route since it was under great persecution.

The two Xaverians had to wait another fifteen days because Rastelli, who had not yet recovered, was unable to travel. They left in the middle of October; the guide, avoiding the more dangerous roads, led them through the mountains over impervious paths in an endless journey.

After fifteen days, they arrived exhausted in Xi’an, the capital of the Shaanxi province. Father Rastelli’s condition seemed to have worsened. They were warmly welcomed by Amato Pagnucci, the Apostolic Vicar of the mission.

They had to stay there for about two months, waiting for a safe-conduct which arrived on December 10. They left the following day with Father Barnaba who also had been forced to wait with them.

Upon their arrival at the mission, they were fully informed of the terrible things that had happened there: seven Chinese priests had been cruelly murdered and anything from 1,500 to 2,000 Christians had been massacred; the churches and the residences had been destroyed or seriously damaged, the Christians’ houses had been burned down and entire villages completely razed to the ground. In the words of Manini: “The two districts of Father Rastelli that we had crossed during our escape had been completely destroyed, and not more than a hundred people were left”. Rastelli cried for his dead people, for those he had loved as his own and who were no more.

The account of the massacre in Taiyuan five days after the murder of the two bishops made a great impression on everyone: a church, in which about fifty Christians had gathered to pray, was surrounded by the Boxers who fell on the Christians like wild animals and slaughtered them. Mothers could be seen offering their babies for slaughter in the fear that a worse fate should befall them if they remained alive. The account of the Christians’ heroism moved Rastelli to tears but, at the same time, he praised God for bestowing the strength of martyrdom on defenseless people.

Massacres had been perpetrated in every village and the survivors were living in squalid misery.

On Christmas Eve, the fugitives reached the monastery of Tong-el-kou. The Christians welcomed them with great joy. It was already getting dark and, after many months of silence, the church bell began to ring, summoning the faithful to the Christmas celebration. Father Barnaba, Superior of the monastery and Vicar General of the mission, affectionately obliged Rastelli to celebrate midnight Mass, giving up his own right to do so.

Fr. Caio Rastelli - The First Son

A grave misfortune

Some days later, Father Rastelli was appointed Procurator of the mission. He immediately embarked on a difficult journey over the vast plains, through valleys and across mountains, from village to village, to bring consolation to the survivors and help to the poverty-stricken. The task given him was, perhaps, too much for his enfeebled body, and even more so for his anguished heart. For the last time, he contemplated the places where he had prayed and suffered so much.

In a letter to the bishop of Parma, he wrote: “The work-load has increased as a result of the loss of 12 skillful workers (through illness or murder), and I am the third eldest European. In addition to this, I now have to do the job of Master of Philosophy with four seminarians, look after 200 orphan girls and 40 young women; this is in addition to my work as general Procurator in a period in which the persecution has thrown everything into a turmoil”.

He also had to present himself at the court as the representative of the Church to ask for the restitution of the goods stolen during the sackings and, above all, to ask the authorities to intervene and return to the mission the orphan girls. However, some of the girls were never heard of again.

Rastelli wandered, exhausted, among scenes of misery for a month; when he finally got back home, around the beginning of February, he fell ill with fever and diarrhea. The Chinese doctor called to examine him diagnosed typhoid.

 The dark night of the soul

Every kind of remedy was tried, more skilful doctors were called in, but it was all in vain. Odoardo Manini was always at his side, looking after him with brotherly affection. Father Barnaba had gone to Peking to seek help for the hungry Christians, and Father Francis Saccani of Parma remained at the monastery with the sick man.

The work-load has increased as a result of the loss of 12 skillful workers (through illness or murder), and I am the third eldest European. In addition to this, I now have to do the job of Master of Philosophy with four seminarians, look after 200 orphan girls and 40 young women; this is in addition to my work as general Procurator in a period in which the persecution has thrown everything into a turmoil.
Fr. Caio Rastelli

On February 10, Rastelli got up to seek some relief from the pain caused by lying on the hard board that was his bed. On February 13, he began to write to the Founder and his parents, but he had to break off after a few lines because he felt unwell. He returned to bed, trembling and drenched in a cold sweat. He could not speak, though he recognized Manini and he grasped his hand affectionately. Father Francis gave him the anointing of the sick.

An old and famous doctor was called in: he offered them some words of encouragement and hope, wrote a prescription, and left.

From that moment a strange transformation was noted in Rastelli’s character: whereas before he had been a courageous and fearless man, he now became timid and fearful, always in need of someone by his side.

In the last days of his life, a moral anguish in the form of scruples added to his physical suffering. He tormented himself over every little thing, constantly afraid of sinning. He often sent for Father Francis Saccani to repeat his confessions and was unable to find peace. It was distressing to see him in this state. Finally, after a few days, Father Francis told him to abandon himself to the loving mercy of God. Rastelli was so used to obeying that, as if by magic, he calmed down and spent his last few days in peace.

Three weeks passed: Father Caio was extremely weak, eating nothing more than millet broth and he had become frighteningly thin; his condition alternated continually between a burning fever and shivering cold.

On February 27, his condition improved a little and Father Francis decided he could leave to attend to some urgent matters. In the evening, Rastelli seemed to be dozing and his pulse rate was fairly stable, but Manini was worried nevertheless. Towards midnight he went back to the sick bed. In the early hours of the morning, Father Caio entered his last agony. A Chinese priest came to give him the final absolution and to offer prayers for the dying. On February 28, at 6.15 am, Rastelli died, just one month before his 29th birthday.

Conforti learned of Rastelli’s death two months later, at the end of April, from a letter of Father Barnaba. He gathered his students around the altar and, in a voice broken with emotion, he broke the news to them: “My dear students, the greatest human tragedy possible has befallen us: Father Caio is dead”. Father Bonardi, who was present at the time, said: “This was perhaps the death that caused the Founder the greatest pain…”

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