A man from Italy has decided to give up working as a model in order to pursue a role in the priesthood.
Edoardo Santini, a 21-year-old from Castel Fiorentino which sits in between Florence and Tuscany in Italy, has decided to give up his dream to become a performer in the entertainment industry in order to dedicate himself to his Christian faith.
Taking to social media, he told his followers about his sudden change in direction.
Edoardo, who was once voted the most handsome man in Italy, said in a translated post, after claiming to have joined a seminary closer to Florence: "At 21 years of age I find myself on the path towards becoming a priest, God willing.
"I've decided to give up modeling work, acting, and dance, but I won't abandon all my passions, I'll just live them differently, offering them up to God."
Speaking to his followers on social media, the young model explained the reasons behind his decision.
"At 21 years old my father took the decision to marry my mother because she was pregnant and my mum, at 21, became a mother. Me, at 21-years-old, I find myself taking the path to become, God willing, a priest. In these past years I've been able to meet people who have shown me what it means to be 'church.'"
He continued: "They have given me the strength to investigate this question that I've taken with me from childhood but various fears stopped me from studying it at a deeper level. Last year, I took the first step."
Edoardo then opened up about his experiences with living alongside two priests, saying it was the "best experience of [his] life."
"At the end of the year, it was natural for me to ask the bishop to enter the preparatory course, the year that precedes life in the seminary. And here I am, studying theology and serving two parishes in the Florentine diocese," he added.
After such a fulfilling experience, he's now ready to "put aside my job as a model and a dancer" for a new career filled with "marvelous people with pure hearts, to whom I owe a lot, who allowed me to grow."
"Of course I won't abandon everything," he added. "Because they make me who I am but I will live them in a different context."
Despite thinking things through, Edoardo said that he has received a lot of backlash for his decision, but he doesn't pay any attention to it because his faith is more important.
"Of course, I have people that speak behind my back," he continued. "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," he told his followers.
Even though he's full of confidence, he's a little nervous to be embarking on such a big journey, adding: "[This is] because now I can shout: I am Edoardo, I am 21 years old and I am happy."
We love the fact that he's found the key to his happiness and we wish him all the best with his future endeavors.
