Antonio Provolo

Antonio Provolo (1801 to 1842) was an Italian Roman Catholic priest best known for his work with deaf and mute children in Verona. He founded the Institute for the Deaf in that city, as well as two religious orders devoted to the care of such children. A noted musician and singer, he put those skills to use in his teaching, and he also relied on his own form of miming and sign language to reach the children he served. His school's work suffered after his death, since those who followed him lacked his charisma and miming skills, although the work of his orders spread across the world. The school is now the subject of continuing sexual abuse allegations. His cause for sainthood opened in 1960 and he was named Venerable in 2017.