Vatican Canonizes Former Satanic Priest Bartolo Longo as Saint

Bartolo Longo, a 19th-century Italian lawyer who once made a pact with the devil and was ordained as a Satanic priest, was canonized as a saint by Pope Leo XIV in a ceremony attended by over 700,000 people at St. Peter's Square. After his father's death, Longo turned to occult practices including witchcraft, séances, and extreme fasting but was eventually persuaded by Professor Vincenzo Pepe and a Dominican priest to renounce Satanism and return to Christianity. He took a vow of celibacy and dedicated his life to charitable works, founding the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii and establishing orphanages while preaching against spiritualism. His transformation from darkness to faith highlights a story of redemption celebrated by the Catholic Church as an example of keeping the lamp of faith burning. The canonization underscores the Church's message of forgiveness and the power of spiritual renewal, as emphasized by Pope Leo XIV during the mass. Longo's efforts also contributed to the revival of Pompeii, symbolizing hope and renewal for the community.