Pope Leo XIV canonized seven religious figures at the Vatican on Sunday, October 19, in front of more than 70,000 people a ceremony that notably included Bartolo Longo, a former Satanic priest who became one of Italy’s most revered Catholic converts.
It was the second canonization performed by Pope Leo XIV since his election as head of the Catholic Church in May.
Among those elevated to sainthood, Longo’s story stood out. Once a lawyer and high-ranking figure in a Satanic sect, he later renounced the occult and devoted his life to rebuilding his faith. Longo, who died in 1926 at age 85, went on to found the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary in Pompeii now one of Italy’s major pilgrimage sites.
Longo’s break from Catholicism began after the early death of his mother, during a period of political and religious upheaval in Italy led by revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi. Drawn to the occult, Longo quickly rose within the Satanic Church, even presiding over rituals where he pledged himself to the devil.
His conversion back to Catholicism came through the influence of his family and a professor at the University of Naples, where he studied law. In later years, Longo became a champion of Marian devotion and social reform, earning the nickname “Apostle of the Rosary.” Before his formal canonization, many Catholics had already regarded him as a patron for those battling spiritual doubt or darkness.
The other six figures canonized include an archbishop martyred during the Armenian genocide, a lay catechist from Papua New Guinea, a Venezuelan physician known as the “doctor of the poor,” and three nuns recognized for their lifelong dedication to charity.
Portraits of the seven new saints referred to by the Pope as “seven witnesses” were displayed from the windows overlooking St. Peter’s Square during the ceremony.
“Today we have before us seven witnesses, the new Saints, who, with God’s grace, kept the lamp of faith burning,” Pope Leo XIV said in his homily. “May their intercession assist us in our trials, and their example inspire us in our shared vocation to holiness.”
To be canonized, candidates must have been credited with at least two verified miracles and led a life of exceptional virtue.
Last month, Pope Leo XIV also canonized Carlo Acutis known as “God’s Influencer” and Pier Giorgio Frassati, both young laymen celebrated for their faith and service.
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