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I was a model and Italy's 'most handsome man' — I'm ditching it all to be a priest

00:45

‘I ditched being Italy’s most handsome man to become a priest’

A model once dubbed the most beautiful man in Italy has ditched pageants to become a priest.

Edoardo Santini was declared the most handsome man in the country in a 2019 pageant organised by fashion group ABE.

Now 21, he has updated his Instagram profile to declare he is a "Christian [and] priest wannabe."

Santini claims he has joined a seminary near Florence.

He said "I got back to my path" in a caption for a video posted on 23 November, in which he blows out birthday candles and is seen praying in a church.

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