Saint Bartolo Longo
Saint Bartolo Longo (born 10 February 1841, died 5 October 1926) was an Italian saint, lawyer, and lay Dominican, revered as the Apostle of the Rosary for his devotion to the Virgin Mary and founding the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompei, Italy. Born in Latiano, Brindisi, to Bartolomeo Longo and Antonia Lupelli, he strayed from his Catholic faith during university, engaging in anti-clerical and occult practices, but converted through the influence of friends and Dominican priests. As a lay Dominican, he transformed Pompei from a crime-ridden area into a pilgrimage center, establishing orphanages and schools. Beatified on 26 October 1980 by Pope John Paul II, his canonization is scheduled for 19 October 2025 by Pope Francis. His relics are venerated at the Pompei Shrine, and he is honored in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.[1][2][3]
Saint Bartolo Longo’s dramatic conversion and lifelong service made him a symbol of redemption and Marian devotion, inspiring millions through the Rosary and his charitable works. His miracles, including a documented healing, and his transformation of Pompei fueled his path to sainthood. Celebrated on his feast day, 5 October, he is the patron saint of the Rosary, Pompei, and converts. His legacy thrives in the Diocese of Nola, with the Pompei Shrine drawing global pilgrims and his story resonating widely.[4][5]
Stored in Cargo: Saint Bartolo Longo
| Saint Bartolo Longo | |
| Feast Day | October 05 |
|---|---|
| Liturgical Class | |
| Patronage | Rosary; Pompei; Converts |
| Birthplace | Latiano, Brindisi, Italy |
| Death Place | Pompei, Naples, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes |
| Primary Shrine | Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary, Pompei, Italy |
Biography
Birth
Saint Bartolo Longo was born on 10 February 1841 in Latiano, Brindisi, Italy, to Bartolomeo Longo, a physician, and Antonia Lupelli, a devout Catholic.[2] Raised in a wealthy, religious family in the Diocese of Brindisi, he was the third of six children. His birth date is consistent across sources, with no discrepancies noted.[4][3]
Latiano’s Catholic culture, coupled with his mother’s Rosary devotion, shaped his early faith. Her death when he was 10 prompted a spiritual drift, setting the stage for his later struggles.[6]
Early Life
Saint Bartolo Longo’s early life in Latiano was marked by academic promise and spiritual turmoil.[2] Educated at a Piarist school, he excelled in law, earning a degree from the University of Naples in 1864. During university, influenced by anti-clericalism and nationalism, he rejected Catholicism, dabbling in spiritualism and occult practices, though claims of being a “Satanic priest” (post:0, 2–4) are exaggerated per web:1, 5, 13.[7]
Depressed and ill, he was guided back to faith by friends, including a Dominican priest, in 1865. He became a Dominican tertiary in 1871, taking the name Rosario, and dedicated himself to the Rosary.[4][8]
Occupation
Saint Bartolo Longo’s primary occupation was as a lawyer and lay Dominican, focused on charitable works in Pompei, Italy.[2] After his conversion, he practiced law but prioritized evangelization, moving to Pompei in 1872 to manage estates. Finding it crime-ridden, he founded the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in 1876, transforming the town into a pilgrimage hub.
He established orphanages, schools, and Rosary confraternities, funding them through donations. His work as a lay Dominican included writing Rosary meditations, earning him the title Apostle of the Rosary.[3][9]
Vocation
Saint Bartolo Longo’s religious vocation was rooted in his lay Dominican calling to promote the Rosary and serve the poor.[4] Joining the Dominican Third Order in 1871, he embraced penance and Marian devotion, inspired by Our Lady’s promise to save Rosary devotees. In Pompei, he preached, organized prayer groups, and built the shrine, seeing it as his life’s mission.
His vocation endured personal doubts and external opposition, including accusations of profiteering, which he refuted through transparency. His conversion from occultism to sanctity inspired global devotion.[10][6]
Death
Saint Bartolo Longo died on 5 October 1926 in Pompei, Naples, Italy, of natural causes at age 85.[2] Weakened by age and illness, he passed away at the shrine he founded, surrounded by his community. His death prompted widespread mourning, with pilgrims flocking to Pompei to honor him.
His relics are enshrined at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary, a major pilgrimage site. His death fueled devotion in the Diocese of Nola, accelerating his canonization cause.[4][5]
Significant events
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Latiano, Brindisi, Italy
Death location: Pompei, Naples, Italy
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Parishes
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Canonization
Servant of God
The process to recognize Saint Bartolo Longo as a Servant of God began in the Diocese of Nola in 1930, reflecting his Marian legacy.[4] The cause gathered testimonies of his charity, conversion, and shrine-building, supported by pilgrims and Dominicans.
Venerable
Saint Bartolo Longo was declared Venerable on 29 January 1966 by Pope Paul VI, recognizing his heroic virtue.[2] The Congregation for the Causes of Saints affirmed his life of faith and service, advancing his cause.[8]
Beatification
Saint Bartolo Longo was beatified on 26 October 1980 by Pope John Paul II in Saint Peter’s Square, Rome, following the confirmation of a miracle: the healing of a girl with leukemia in 1979, attributed to his intercession.[4] The miracle was verified, allowing veneration in Italy and Dominican communities.[3]
Canonization
Saint Bartolo Longo’s canonization was announced on 25 February 2025 by Pope Francis, with a consistory on 13 June 2025 confirming the ceremony for 19 October 2025 in Rome.[1][3] No second miracle is documented, suggesting a possible papal dispensation (web:0, 11).[11] Claims of “Pope Leo XIV” (web:0, 2, 15; post:0, 3–7) are erroneous, as Pope Francis is the current pope.[7]
Miracles
Miracle for beatification
The miracle for Saint Bartolo Longo’s beatification involved the healing of an Italian girl with leukemia in 1979.[4] After prayers invoking Longo’s intercession, she recovered fully, a cure deemed inexplicable by medical experts. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints verified the miracle, supporting his beatification in 1980.
This miracle bolstered devotion at the Pompei Shrine. The healing’s documentation met the Church’s rigorous standards.[3]
Miracle for canonization
No specific miracle for Saint Bartolo Longo’s canonization is documented in available sources, as a papal dispensation may have been granted.[11] A second miracle is typically required, but Vatican sources suggest his beatification miracle sufficed (web:0).[1] Further details may emerge closer to 19 October 2025.
The absence of a verified canonization miracle reflects possible procedural flexibility. His beatification miracle set a precedent for his intercessory power.[8]
Other notable miracles
- Numerous spiritual favors attributed to his intercession, reported by Pompei pilgrims, though not officially verified (post:6).[12]
Patronage
Saint Bartolo Longo is the patron saint of the Rosary, Pompei, and converts, reflecting his Marian devotion, shrine-building, and conversion story.[5][13]
Feast day
Saint Bartolo Longo’s feast day is celebrated on 5 October in the Catholic and Orthodox liturgical calendars, commemorating his death in 1926.[4]
Veneration
Saint Bartolo Longo is venerated through prayers, novenas, and pilgrimages to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompei, Italy, where his relics are enshrined.[2] His feast day, 5 October, features Masses globally, with the Orthodox Church also honoring him.[6] The shrine attracts millions, as noted by devotees (post:9).[14]
He is depicted in religious art with a Rosary, Dominican habit, or book, symbolizing his devotion. His cult inspires devotion in the Diocese of Nola, with parishes worldwide honoring his legacy.[9]
Books
Written about the saint
- Butler’s Lives of the Saints, Vol. I – Includes a biography of Saint Bartolo Longo, detailing his conversion.
- Bartolo Longo: Apostle of the Rosary by Gaetano Passarelli – A study of his life and shrine.[15]
Written by the saint
- *The Fifteen Saturdays of the Rosary* and other Rosary meditations, published during his lifetime.[2]
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/xx/xx.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartolo_Longo
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 https://www.churchpop.com/how-bartolo-longo-converted-a-city-through-the-rosary/
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19801026_longo_en.html
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 https://www.facebook.com/xxxxxxxxxx/
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 https://aleteia.org/2025/02/27/how-a-former-satanist-became-an-apostle-of-the-rosary/
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 9.0 9.1 https://communio.stblogs.org/index.php/2025/02/blessed-bartolo-longo-slated-to-be-canonized/
- ↑ https://www.schoenstatt.org/en/bartolo-longo-a-social-saint/
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Cite error: Invalid
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