Justin de Jacobis

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The Blessed Justin de Jacobis was an Italian Lazarist missionary who became Vicar Apostolic of Abyssinia and titular Bishop of Nilopolis.

[edit] Biography

He was horn at San Fele, Province of Potenza in southern Italy on 9 October, 1800.

On 17 October, 1818, he entered the Congregation of the Lazarists at Naples, took vows there on 18 October, 1820, and was ordained priest at Brindisi on 12 June, 1824. After spending some time in the care of souls at Oria and Monopoli, he became superior, first at Lecce, then at Naples.

In 1839 he was appointed first Prefect Apostolic of Abyssinia and entrusted with the foundation of Catholic missions in that country (presently Ethiopia). After laboring with great success in Abyssinia for eight years, he was made titular Bishop of Nilopolis in 1847, and shortly afterwards Vicar Apostolic of Abyssinia, but he refused the episcopal dignity until it was finally forced upon him in 1849. Despite imprisonment, exile and every other kind of persecution from heathens and heretics, he founded numerous Catholic missions, built various schools for the training of a native clergy, and in many other ways labored for the conversion of Abyssinia.

He died on 31 July, 1860, in the plain of Eydele between the mountains Chedene and Hamamo in Abyssinia, while on his way to Halay where he hoped to regain his health.

The process of his beatification was introduced on 13 July, 1904.

[edit] Source

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913. [1]