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Introduction. On October 2025, St Bartolo Longo was canonized by Pope Leo the XIV. While at Naples University, Bartolo dabbled in the occult until 1861 hen he was ordained as a satanic priest. Through the witness of a friend, he became a vigorous advocate of the rosary. Through signal graces and consolations, he managed the building of a magnificent Pompeii basilica dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary. A well-respected lawyer and determined repentant, Bartolo spent all his time and money caring for orphans and supporting the vocations of 45 seminarians.
The purpose of this meditation is to understand how God can catapult a usurper of souls to sainthood. What is satanism and what is its magnetism? How was Blessed Bartolo Longo extricated through the mercy of our loving God? Finally, how did he sow and harvest God's miracles and multitudes of fruit? (Mathew 7: 16-20.)
Satanism is built on self, sin and demonic work. Ironically, they believe Christianity is a cult that uses the naive to further their extremism. Ignoring the faith, they point to church leader hypocrisy, "Christians have blood on their hands when doing things in the name of Jesus Christ." Misled, they believe they can do wonderful things in the name of Satan. Once brainwashed, they feel liberated because they can act in ugliness and be at peace with themselves. The draw for outsiders is acceptance, community and belonging to something magical. Under pretense, satanist philosophy "advocates for people who cannot advocate for themselves." They prey on the weak to promote a "love affair with yourself" through "safe, protected, and medic-supervised" orgies. From there, the sins get worse. It is easy to see how young rebellious adults might fall for their form of lawlessness without immediate repercussion.
History. In 1841, St Bartolo was born in Latiano. If Italy is a boot, Latiano is on the coastal heel overlooking the Adriatic. He was the middle child of a well-to-do family with servants. Like a good Italian family does, they were devout Catholics who prayed the rosary daily. At age 6, he was sent to a priest-run boarding school. He played piano by ear, loved fireworks and grew up as an impertinent rascal. When he was 10-years old, one parent died and the other remarried. Sources conflict as to which parent died. Thus began his alienation, depression, anger and hatred for God. Over time, he migrated toward anti-cleric, occult and political movements within the Napoleonic Revolution. In 1861, freemasons advocated for Italian unification, nationalism and destruction of the papal states and Catholicism. Longo was determined to destroy the Church. During this time, Blessed Bartolo Longo was studying law at the University of Naples. He became involved in drugs, séances and outright satanism. Selling his soul to a specific demon, he was consecrated as a satanic priest. This shocked his family who baptised and prayed together daily. Meanwhile, St Bartolo believed he could do magic. Unceasingly, he ridiculed Christianity. As his law and debating skills evolved, he derived perverse pleasure from convincing Catholics to abandon their faith. This evil did not bring him peace. Bartolo began to hallucinate, experience paranoia, depression and suicidal thoughts. He later wrote of this dark time: “I was harassed by evil visions, voices and nightmares. I went through a profound psychotic crisis and was plunged into dark despair.” Still praying for his conversion, a Naples professor and his family arranged a meeting with a holy Dominican priest, Father Alberto Radente.
Extrication. Father Radente was God's tool of mercy and listened to Bartolo's pain. Through him, Longo made a heartfelt confession and refuted the satanists. In 1865, Bartolo returned to the Sacraments and leaned deep into the truths behind rosary meditations. His spiritual weapon, he turned to it in times of temptation and despair. In 1871, he was received into the Third Order of Dominicans, taking the name “Brother Rosario.” Thus began his life of penance and reparation for the horrors he had committed. Despite being in the state of grace, Bartolo was tormented by his past sins and guilt. He contemplated suicide although he feared eternal damnation. He felt Our Lady's words to St. Dominic in his heart: “He who propagates my rosary shall be saved.” Those words launched Longo into action, “As I pondered her promise, I resolved to dedicate my life to her rosary. Hers is the path by which I save my soul.” Bartolo Longo’s life was consumed with devotion to Our Lady and her rosary. He began to spread the rosary: preaching missions, giving them away and teaching others how to use it. He encouraged public processions and rosary recitations wherever the faith had grown cold. He understood the rosary as both a private devotion and a public proclamation of truth. He later wrote: “If only I could have an immense voice. I would invite all sinners to love Mary's rosary!”
Meditation. While poorly said prayers are better than no prayers, exactly what is meditation? While long repetitive prayers such as the rosary, various chaplets and litanies appear boring, that is somewhat the point. Heaven asks us to switch our busiest brain lobes to autopilot. This exact sweet spot allows for productive meditation: a virtual Jesus-guided tour in His Holy Land. To illustrate awkwardly, polygraphs detect "lies" by transposing vital data into waves: blood pressure, pulse, respirations and perspiration readings. If chaotic waves appear spiked, high, and tight; we assume stress or "lying." A loose comparison is brain wave activity on an EEG. An electro-encephalograph tracing is a crude measure of a brain's bandwidth consumption. Limiting our bandwidth is how we hear the voice of God. If our brain activity is thick and chaotic, we produce high and tight beta waves. These spikes represent intensity, which overwrite all attempts at meaningful meditation. Moreover, stimulants will extend this brain state. Conversely, flat delta waves reflect brain death, as seen in organ donors. Our goal is a calm detached, in-between state: an open mind without artifact. For quality meditation, we seek smooth alpha waves or "the zone" where God lives while the Holy Spirit works in our souls. Therein lies the rub with new age or non-Catholic meditation. God is a gentleman who seeks an invitation. If we aren't seeking God, who is creeping into our souls?
Fruit that will Last. (John 15:16) In 1873, Pompeii was a paganistic and superstitious countryside cursed by the 74 A.D Mount Vesuvius eruption. It was here that Bartolo discovered God's plan for his life. He rebuilt the crumbling chapel while catechizing the locals. Many were barely literate in the Faith. He organized public rosaries, taught the catechism and established religious associations dedicated to Our Lady. The city hospital was named for her. Miraculously, he met benefactress Countess Mariana di Fusco. They wed her upon the recommendation of Pope Leo XIII. Together, they pioneered the construction of what would later become the Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Pompeii, see tour here. He founded a school for the children of convicts. Over time, miracles, healings, conversions, and special graces occurred. All were attributed to Our Lady of Pompeii and her rosary. When pilgrims flocked in great numbers, the Vatican noticed. Pope Leo XIII, the “Pope of the Rosary,” blessed Bartolo's work. He was named a papal Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher. In his book, The History of the Shrine of Pompeii, Blessed Bartolo juxtaposes the ruins of Pompeii. The devastation made way for a new spiritual edifice, all built through the loving hands of our Blessed Mother Mary.
"Next to a land of the dead
Appeared, quite suddenly,
A land of resurrection and life:
Next to a shattered amphitheater soiled with blood,
There is a living temple of faith and love,
A sacred temple to the Virgin Mary...
From a town buried in the filth of gentilism
Arises a town full of life,
Drawing its origins from a new civilization
Brought by Christianity:
The New Pompeii!"
Conclusion. Cradle Catholics, at some point, must either embrace or deny their faith. Unfortunately, the seeds planted in their youth may not bloom until later in life. Or sadly, not at all. Thankfully, God continues to chase us with His impossible plans. Mercifully, he extends extraordinary graces towards the hopelessly lost. From satanist to saint, God used Bartolo, to spread His message of salvation using our beautiful and Immaculate Mother Mary. Today, approximately 3 million pilgrims visit Our Lady of the Rosary's Basilica each year, where Bartolo's remains rest. He died a humble, modest and poor man. Pope Benedict XVI described Bartolo as an Italian St Paul of Tarsus, since both persecuted His church. In 1980, Bartolo Longo was beatified by Pope John Paul II and is known as the Apostle of the Rosary. His feast day is October 5. On 10-7-25, officially, he joins the Church Triumphant. Blessed Bartolo Longo, pray for us!
Sources
3.5 minute video tour of Pompeii's Our Lady of the Rosary Basilica - EWTN
Bartolo Longo: The Satanic Priest Who Became a Saint - Good Catholic
Bartolo Longo - Wikipedia
Science cannot explain suffering. As Lay Passionist and nurse, she challenges modern health care assumptions; contraception, abortion, euthanasia, herd immunity and more. Behind every health dilemma, God asks us to abide in Him. Author of 7 books & >20 peer-reviewed nursing journal articles; she also writes as "The Catholic Nurse" on Substack, see "Archives." She is a veteran of the Army Nurse Corps. Her primary charism is mercy through which she explores redemptive suffering, spiritual healing and the joy of bringing of souls to God.
