Blessed Bartolo Longo was an Italian Catholic lawyer who abandoned his faith after his mother died during the anti-Catholic upheaval in Italy. He was introduced to spiritualism and the occult, eventually becoming a "satanic priest." This led to depression and demonic obsession and ultimately experiencing a mental breakdown. With the help of his family, professors, and a Dominican priest, he returned to the faith through Our Lady of the Rosary. He dedicated his life and works, to establishing an orphanage on the island of Pompeii and spreading Marian devotion until his death at 85. Pope John Paul II in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, was inspired by Bartolo’s writings to start the Luminous Mysteries.
