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Manuel Fodera...

offered his sufferings to 'convert the greatest number of souls.' 

'Jesus has called me warrior of light to conquer the evil and darkness of the world.'

Manuel was born on June 21st, 2001 in Calatafimi, Sicily. 

His siblings Francesco and Stefania were already teenagers, when their newborn brother Manuel arrived, and they welcomed him with great affection. 

Manuel received a Christian education in the heart of a joyful and lively family, where everything seemed to go smoothly, until July of 2005. At the age of four, Manuel complained about a strong pain in his right leg as well as a terrible fever and loss of appetite. A few days later, he was admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Palermo. Doctors diagnosed him with 'a massive infiltration of stage IV neuroblastoma that has spread to the iliac crest of the pelvis.' 

At that moment, his 'Way of the Cross' began, and it was to last five years. Little Manuel was going to suffer several operations, thirty chemotherapy cycles, a transplant, blood transfusions, and indescribable pain. 

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It was the beginning of a unique, painful, yet very joyful journey for this little one who eventually felt the presence of Jesus speaking to him like a close friend. 

He first underwent an operation to remove his tumor, recovered from it, and received his first few cycles of chemotherapy. At first, he wanted to go to school and play with his friends, and he cried because he could not go. Then, after some time, the inexplicable occurred: Manuel accepted his treatment, becoming serene and docile.

Sister Prisca, a Franciscan religious from the hospital, was the first to notice this change and commented: 'He was very small, only four years old. Before receiving treatment, he always came to me saying, ‘Sr. Prisca, take me to the chapel because I want to see Jesus!’ Very gently, I took him into my arms and brought his little head close to the tabernacle. He was very happy, because he wanted to be Jesus’ dearest friend. Afterwards, we prayed the Holy Rosary together, and I was moved as I listened to him reciting the litanies by heart.

[bron]