St. Bartolo Longo

Also known as: Bartholomew Longo, Bartolomea Longo, Bartolomeo Longo di Latiano, Brother Rosary, Fratel Rosario, Herald of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Rosary, Man of Mary

A son of a physician, Bartolo Longo was born into a financially well-off and devout Catholic family. Raised in prayer, his family prayed the Rosary together every night. He received an excellent education, both secular and religious, attending a Piarist school until age sixteen. Exceptionally talented, he excelled in literature, oratory, fencing, dancing, and music—playing both the flute and piano and directing a school band. Yet, his restless spirit often made him impatient with academic discipline.

At the University of Naples, where he earned his law degree in 1864, Bartolo's faith began to falter. Influenced by a fallen-away priest teaching philosophy, he drifted from indifference toward the Church to ridicule, and finally to hostility. He joined anti-papal demonstrations and immersed himself in occult practices—magnetism, spiritism, and séances. In his darkest period, he even became a Satanist priest.

His family and friends never abandoned him. They prayed fervently for his conversion, and through the guidance of Professor Vincenzo Pepe, Bartolo was led to Father Alberto Radente, a Dominican friar who helped him rediscover the Catholic faith. On March 25, 1871, Bartolo renounced his past, returned fully to the Church, and became a Dominican tertiary, taking the name Fratel Rosario ("Brother Rosary").

Determined to atone for his past, Bartolo began preaching against the occult and promoting the Rosary as a path to healing and peace. He believed the Rosary could bring hope to the poor and spiritually lost. Inspired, he founded a shrine to Our Lady of the Rosary in the valley of Pompeii, using a discarded painting of the Virgin Mary under that title. Miracles followed, and pilgrims flocked to the site. Construction of a new church began in 1876, it was dedicated in 1887, entrusted to the Holy See in 1894, and designated a basilica by Pope Leo XIII in 1901. Today, the basilica welcomes over 10,000 pilgrims daily.

Alongside Countess Mariana di Fusco, Bartolo established orphanages, schools, and charitable institutions for the poor, prisoners' children, and the abandoned—creating what became known as the "City of Charity" or "City of Mary." He founded the Daughters of the Rosary of Pompeii to staff these institutions and the Trade School for the Sons of the Imprisoned, later expanding to include daughters of prisoners as well. His tireless efforts challenged the social prejudices of his time, proving that love, education, and faith could redeem even the most broken lives.

To quell rumors about their close collaboration, Bartolo and Mariana married in April 1885, living a life of chastity in service to God and neighbor. Despite enduring slander and accusations, Bartolo remained steadfast in humility and obedience, eventually stepping down from leadership when asked by Pope Pius X in 1906, continuing to serve quietly within the community he built.

Honored as a Knight of the Grand Cross of the Holy Sepulcher in 1925, Bartolo Longo died peacefully the following year, his life a radiant testament to conversion, mercy, and the power of the Rosary.

On October 19, 2025, Pope Leo XIV canonized him before more than 700,000 faithful in Saint Peter's Square, proclaiming Bartolo Longo a Saint of the Catholic Church—a beacon of hope for all who struggle with despair, depression, anxiety, or who have wandered from their faith.