π Saint Giustino de Jacobis π
CM – Apostle of Abyssinia – Patron of Missionaries
π
Born: 9 October 1800
π Birthplace: San Fele, Potenza, Kingdom of Naples
⚰️ Died: 31 July 1860 (aged 59)
π Place of Death: Zula, Semenawi Keih Bahri, Eritrea
π Venerated in: Catholic Church
π Feast Day: 31 July
✝️ Beatified: 25 June 1939, Saint Peter's Basilica by Pope Pius XII
π Canonized: 26 October 1975, Saint Peter's Square by Pope Paul VI
π️ Ecclesiastical Role:
Apostolic Vicar of Abyssinia (1847–1860)
Titular Bishop of Nilopolis
Prefect Apostolic of Abyssinia (1839–1847)
π―️ Consecrated by: Guglielmo Massaia (7 January 1849)
π§ Mission: Evangelizer of Eritrea and Ethiopia; trained native clergy and promoted liturgy in the Ge'ez rite.
πͺΆ Attributes: Bishop’s attire
π Patronage: Missionaries
“A missionary heart aflame with humility, love, and service.”
Born on October 9, 1800, in San Fele, Potenza, to Giovanni Battista and Giuseppina Muccia, Giustino de Jacobis was the seventh of fourteen children in a Lucanian family. Around 1812, economic pressures likely prompted the family’s move to Naples. In 1818, Carmelite Father Mariano Cacace recognized Giustino’s calling and guided him toward the Congregation of the Mission, founded by St. Vincent de Paul. Continuing his studies in Puglia, Giustino was ordained a priest on June 18, 1824, in Brindisi’s cathedral by Archbishop Giuseppe Maria Tedeschi. He spent his early priesthood in Monopoli and Lecce until 1836, when he returned to Naples amid a devastating cholera epidemic.
In 1836–37, Naples was ravaged by a cholera outbreak that claimed 15,000 lives. Giustino, embodying the Vincentian spirit of charity, tirelessly tended to the sick, risking his own life. His dedication shone during this crisis, and coinciding with a procession of the Immaculate Conception, the epidemic subsided. The statue of the Virgin, which Giustino carried in the procession, remains venerated in Naples’ San Nicola church.
In 1838, Father Giuseppe Sapeto initiated a mission in Adua, Ethiopia, which Giustino joined on October 13, 1839, at the request of Propaganda Fide. As superior of the Vincentian house in Naples, he was appointed to lead the Tigray region, establishing the Vicariate of Abyssinia. In 1841, he was joined by Fathers Lorenzo Bianchieri and Giuseppe Abbatini. Giustino approached the Coptic Church with respect, fostering dialogue without demanding conversions. His efforts bore fruit with the conversion of Ethiopian monk GhebrΓ© MichaΓ―l and approximately 5,000 locals. He founded missionary centers in Gondar, EnticciΓ², Guala (Adi Kwala), Alitiena, Halai, Hebo, and Cheren, establishing the “College of the Immaculate” seminary in Guala to train Ethiopian priests.
On January 8, 1849, Capuchin Bishop Guglielmo Massaia consecrated Giustino as titular bishop of Nilopoli and apostolic vicar. His popularity as “Abuna Jacob” grew, but tensions arose with Coptic Bishop Abuna Salama, particularly after Giustino’s episcopal appointment. The conflict escalated when Kasa, a local leader, proclaimed himself Emperor Theodore II in 1855. Influenced by Salama, Theodore imprisoned Giustino and his priests. GhebrΓ© MichaΓ―l, a learned convert and priest, died in chains in 1855, later beatified in 1926. Recognizing Giustino’s sanctity, Salama advised Theodore against killing him, saying, “He’s a saint!” Exiled with a small group, Giustino died of exhaustion on July 31, 1860, in Eidale, AlighedΓ© valley, en route to Massawa.
Giustino’s remains are venerated in Hebo, a significant site of his mission. His ecumenical approach, respecting Coptic and Muslim communities while fostering Christian unity, was visionary. Beatified on July 25, 1939, he was canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 26, 1975, during the Holy Year. The Ethiopian bishops praised him as a “father for the Church of Ethiopia,” and Pope Paul VI noted his desire for unity, lamenting that he was “too little known.” In Brindisi, he is honored by a parish church in the Bozzano district and an epigraph in the cathedral basilica.
In his final moments, Giustino blessed his disciples, urging them not to fear and to remain faithful. He said, “My children, you will all have some of my affection, I want to bless you! Do not cry, do not be afraid because if you conform to the recommendations I have made to you, nothing can harm you. Transmit these alerts to those in Hebo, Alitiena, Halai, Moncullo. May everyone remember me in prayers.” His legacy endures through the Ethiopian Catholic community, the seminaries he founded, and his model of compassionate, inclusive missionary work.
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