Blessed Bartolo Logo is a man who was elevated from a Satanist to an apostle of the Rosary. After receiving the miraculous image of the Queen of the Rosary, many miracles took place in his life. Read how he came away from satanic worship and suicidal tendencies and became the apostle of the Rosary,
Blessed Bartolo is the founder of the Church of the Rosary in Pompeii, Italy, a famous Marian pilgrimage site. In 1875, his confessor, Fr. Alberto Radente gifted a miraculous image of Our Lady of Rosary to Longo. We can see this image in the shrine.
Born into a Catholic family, Longo moved away from the faith while studying law in Naples in the 1860s. It was a time when the Catholic Church was facing opposition from a nationalist movement fighting for the unification of Italy. There were strong anti-Catholic ideas in the society at that time. During this time Longo participated in a Satanist cult and eventually became a ‘Satanist priest’. Yet, he was followed by anxiety and depression during that time. Those days, he even had a tendency to commit suicide.
For a few years Longo continued to worship like this. Longo was later persuaded by a university professor from his home country to abandon Satanism. He was also asked to make a good confession. Although it was very difficult, Fr. Longo nodded and confessed to Fr. Radante. Under Radente’s guidance, Longo began to recite the rosary. So he left his old life and returned to the Catholic faith.
He soon developed a great devotion to the rosary in his life. In 1871, he joined the Dominican Third Order. He worked among the people of Pompeii to promote devotion to the rosary. The image of the Queen of the Rosary in Pompeii is very famous. Mary carried in her arms Infant Jesus on the throne, and St Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena standing at the feet of Our lady was the picture. This picture was very old. However, great miracles began to happen in his life a few months after receiving the image.
Clorinda Lucarelli, a 12-year-old girl with epilepsy, has completely recovered. The girl had an illness that many doctors could not cure. The first miracle took place on the same day that Longo exhibited this image to the public for prayer. This Marian temple in Pompeii became famous very quickly. Many pilgrims came here begging for the intercession of the Blessed Mother.
Longo died in Pompeii in 1926. Pope John Paul II beatified him in 1980. He is known as the ‘Apostle of the Rosary’. His last words were as follows: “My only desire is to see Mary, who saved me and who will save me from the clutches of Satan.”