The Saint of October 5, who was Bartolo Longo
Tomorrow, Tuesday 5 September, the Church commemorates Bartolo Longo, born in 1841 and died in 1926, founder and benefactor of Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii and consecrated to the lay Fraternity of San Domenico. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II the 26 October 1980.
On May 30, 1925, an elderly and sick man spoke in front of the pontifical delegate of the Shrine of Pompeii and the large crowd that gathered the assembly: “Today I want to make my testament. I have raised and lavished millions to found the Basilica and the new city of Mary. I have nothing left, I am poor. I have only the testimonies of benevolence from the Supreme Pontiffs. And also these, I would like to give them to orphans and the children of prisoners… ”.
Thus ended with this last gesture of devotion the earthly commitment of Bartolo Longo, a lawyer born in Latiano (Brindisi) in 1841, who converted to the faith after life experiences very distant from the church, which would have bound his own life forever. name to the foundation of the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Pompeii and to many other works of charity.
On May 8, 1876 Bartolo Maggio laid the first stone for the construction of the Shrine of Pompeii, completed in May 1887. On May 5, 1901 the facade of the Shrine was inaugurated, under the symbol of peace, putting the words in the cusp of it: "Pax".
Among the writings of Blessed Bartolo Longo, in addition to the articles in the periodical "The Rosary and the New Pompeii", we can mention: San Domenico and the Inquisition, The Fifteen Saturdays of the Rosary in two volumes, The novena to the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii, The life of St. Filomena, The work of Pompeii and the moral reform of the children of prisoners, History of the Sanctuary of Pompeii, Small readings, published by the printers of the children of prisoners.
His remains rest, together with those of Countess De Fusco, Father Radente and Sister Maria Concetta de Litala, in the large crypt below the Basilica.