Edoardo Santini

In 2019, Santini entered and won a pageant sponsored by the fashion group ABE. At 17 years old he was declared to be "Italy's Most Handsome Man."^[1] The contest led to contracts as a model and 11,000 followers on Instagram.^[1]

In 2022, Santini went to live with two priests, which he called "the most beautiful experience of my life."^[1][3] After a year, he asked Archbishop Giuseppe Betori to enter into a year-long preparatory course called the propaedeutic stage with the intention of entering the seminary at its conclusion.^[1]

On 23 November 2023, Santini released a video on social media announcing his decision and that he was serving two parishes in the Archdiocese of Florence.^[1][2] He also said attending World Youth Day 2023 in Portugal was a turning point in his life.^[1]