Saint Gaetano Errico

Life story

Gaetano Errico was born on 19 October 1791 at Secondigliano near Naples, a son of Pasquale Errico and Marie Marseglia. In January 1808 he began studies at the seminary of Naples as a day student and was ordained priest on 23 September 1815 by Cardinal Ruffo Scilla.

In 1818, on a retreat at Pagani, he reported a vision of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, who told him to found a new congregation and build a church in Secondigliano in honour of Our Lady of Sorrows. The church was blessed on 9 December 1830 and the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows arrived in May 1835. In 1836, on another retreat at Pagani, he understood that the congregation should honour the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; its statutes were approved on 14 March 1836 and a novitiate opened in October that year with eight novices.

He sought papal approval from 1838, and on 7 August 1846 Pius IX issued the Apostolic Brief of approbation; Errico was elected the first Superior General. He died on 29 October 1860, aged 69. John Paul II beatified him on 14 April 2002 and Benedict XVI canonised him on 12 October 2008. His feast day is 29 October.

Works and witness

• Ordained priest in Naples on 23 September 1815
• Built the church of Our Lady of Sorrows in Secondigliano, blessed in 1830
• Founded the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; novitiate opened in 1836
• First Superior General after papal approval in 1846
• Beatified in 2002 and canonised in 2008

Saints from the same country

Saint Agnes, Saint Lawrence, Saint Cecilia, Saint Sebastian

References

• Vatican: 'Gaetano Errico (1791-1860) - Biography', canonisation of 12 Oct 2008, vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/2008/ns_lit_doc_20081012_errico_en.html

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.