Brief biography of St. Justin de Jacobis, C.M. Source: cmglobal.org

1. Life of
St. Justin
de
Jacobis,
c.m.

2. Justin was born in
San Fele near
Naples, Italy, on
October 9, 1800.
He was the seventh child of Maria
Josefa and Jean Baptist de Jacobis, a
family of many resources and a deep
Christian faith.
Image: The monument of St. Justin
de Jacobis, erected in 1975 on the
staircase of the mother church of
San Fele. (Birthplace of the saint).

3. Justin entered in
the Congregation
of the Mission in
1818 in Naples.
His great humility made him think that
he did not possess the necessary
qualities for the priesthood, but his
superiors did and he was ordained a
priest June 12, 1824 at the Cathedral
in Brindisi. During his first years in the
priesthood, his principal work was
giving retreats to the laity and other
priests and sisters as well as parish
missions. He also organized various
charitable activities to assist the poor.

4. He accomplished
any task
requested of him
in a very humble
manner
He obediently accepted to serve in any
office or responsibility within the
Congregation of the Mission. During
the severe cholera epidemic that
devastated Naples beginning at the
end of 1836, he worked non-stop to
help the sick, even to the point of
risking his own life.

5. Accepting the call
In 1838 Cardinal Philippe Franzoni,
Prefect of the Sacred Congregation
for the Propagation of the Faith,
visited the Provincial House of the
Congregation of the Mission in
Naples. He talked to the Superior,
Father Justin de Jacobis, about the
needs in Abyssinia and the desire of
beginning a Mission there. With the
agreement of his Superiors Father
Justin de Jacobis would accept this
call for mission. The mandate for the
establishment of a Mission was given
to the Congregation of the Mission on
May 24, 1839 and Father Justin de
Jacobis was sent to Abyssinia as the
Apostolic Prefect for this region.

6. Justin de Jacobis
allowed himself to
be guided by the
hand of
Providence in
evangelizing
others.
He was well rooted in the spirit of the
Congregation of the Mission.
Especially he shined with humility,
gentleness, zeal and endurance in
times of sufferings and
misunderstandings.

7. The Lord gave
Justin a rich
insight into the
country’s culture
and traditions.
He learned the language, lived with
the people and worked to improve
good relations on the local level.

8. He was a man
ahead of his time
in regard to
inculturation, in
announcing the
Gospel; he used
the traditions and
culture of the
people.
He was also a great precursor of
ecumenical dialogue between Coptic
Christians and Catholics.

9. For twenty years
Father Justin de
Jacobis give
himself to the
service of the
Gospel; he was an
excellent mentor
and formator of
priests.
After much suffering he has the merit
of having newly restored the Catholic
Church in Abyssinia.

10. After many
persecutions he
died of a tropical
fever
He died on the side of a road near
Halai in the valley of Alighede on July
31, 1860.

11. Source:
cmglobal.org