Saint Bartolo Longo
Lawyer who returned to the faith and built the Rosary shrine at Pompeii and homes for children
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Layperson, Founder
- Life
- 1841 – 1926
- Era
- 20th century
- Feast
- 5 October
- Countries
- Italy
Life story
Bartolo Longo was born on 10 February 1841 in Latiano, near Brindisi in southern Italy, and studied law in Naples. By his own later account, he became involved in spiritualist and occult circles as a student and drifted from the faith. With the help of friends and a Dominican friar, he returned to Catholicism and joined the Dominican Third Order in 1871.
From 1872 he worked in the valley of Pompeii, where Countess Marianna Farnararo De Fusco held lands. In 1875 he received a painting of Our Lady of the Rosary and placed it in a dilapidated little church. Pilgrims came in growing numbers. A larger church was begun in 1876 and consecrated in 1891.
With the Countess he founded schools and homes for orphans and for the children of prisoners. They married in 1885 but, according to the sources, lived as brother and sister. In 1906 they gave the shrine's property to the Holy See.
He died in Pompeii on 5 October 1926. John Paul II beatified him on 26 October 1980, and Leo XIV canonised him on 19 October 2025.
Works and witness
- Returned to the faith and joined the Dominican Third Order in 1871
- Began the shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary at Pompeii in 1876
- Founded schools and homes for orphans and prisoners' children
- Gave the shrine's property to the Holy See in 1906
- Canonised on 19 October 2025
Saints from the same country
References
- Martyrologium Romanum
- Vatican decrees and homilies for beatification (1980) and canonisation (2025)
- Biographies of Bartolo Longo
- Vatican News (Italian), October 2025: canonisation of Bartolo Longo on 19 October 2025
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.