The “most handsome” man in Italy has found his true calling. Model Edoardo Santini, who was bestowed with the title in a 2019 pageant put on by fashion organization ABE when he was 17, revealed that he is walking away from modeling to serve as a priest at the age of 21.
In a candid Instagram video shared last month, Santini is seen blowing out candles and enjoying moments with his loved ones over the years. He said in a voiceover in Italian (transcribed to English via Google Translate) that his parents were 21 when his mother became pregnant and his parents decided to get married.
“At 21 years old, however, I find myself on the path to becoming, if God wills, a priest,” he shared.
He noted that he recently met a group of friends who have shown him the true meaning of church.
“They gave me the strength to investigate this question that I have carried with me since I was little, but which various fears prevented me from delving into,” said Santini. “Last year, to take a first step, I went to live with two priests, and that was the most beautiful experience of my life.”
During that time, Santini said he met a handful of “brothers” and discovered the answer he was looking for would “come from above.”
When the year was over, he asked a bishop if he could start a “preparatory course” and studied theology in Florence. He ultimately decide to “put aside” being a model and acting.
“What is certain is that I will not abandon everything because those worlds are part of me,” he said, “but I will live them and propose them in different contexts.”
He confessed that his “biggest fear” was being criticized over his decision; however, he also pointed out, “I had built more walls for myself than there actually were.”
“Of course there are those who talk about me behind my back,” he quipped. “There are those who have no problem telling me that I’m a disappointment even in my family. But there are also those who support me, believers and non-believers alike.”
He continued by telling his followers he’s not sure if he will become a priest.
“I’m here to find out,” he said. “But I took that step that terrified me and prevented me from being fully myself.”
He concluded, “What I’m sure of though is that I won’t regret this trip because now I can shout, ‘I’m Edoardo, I’m 21 years old, and I’m happy.”
DailyMail
