Saint Gaetano Errico
Saint Gaetano Errico (born October 19, 1791 AD in Secondigliano, Naples, Italy; died October 29, 1860 AD in Secondigliano, Naples, Italy) was an Italian priest who founded the Missionary Oblates of the Most Holy Redeemer and the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Naples. He was deeply influenced by Saint Alfonso de Liguori (Alphonsus Liguori) and devoted his life to popular mission preaching among the poor of the Kingdom of Naples. He was beatified in 2002 and canonized by Pope Francis in 2018. His feast day is October 29.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Gaetano Errico
| Saint Gaetano Errico | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 29 |
| Profession | Diocesan priest; religious founder; mission preacher |
| Rel. Affiliation | Missionary Oblates of the Most Holy Redeemer / Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (founder) |
| Patronage | Secondigliano; Naples; mission preachers; the poor; workers |
| Attributes | Priestly vestments; mission cross; Sacred Hearts image; poor people |
| Birthplace | Secondigliano, Naples, Campania, Italy |
| Death Place | Secondigliano, Naples, Campania, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died in his hometown where he had spent nearly his entire life |
| Primary Shrine | Church of Secondigliano, Naples — his tomb; his congregation's motherhouse |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Calendar, October 29) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Gaetano Errico was born on October 19, 1791, in Secondigliano, then a village north of Naples (now a neighborhood of the city). He was deeply formed by the spirituality of Saint Alfonso de Liguori (Alphonsus Liguori), who had founded the Redemptorists and whose popular mission preaching had transformed southern Italy in the previous century.
Errico was ordained a priest in 1815. He devoted himself to popular mission preaching — traveling through the Kingdom of Naples to bring the sacraments and the Gospel to rural communities, often combining this with missions to the poor workers and silk-weavers of the Naples region. He founded the Missionary Oblates of the Most Holy Redeemer (also called the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary) in 1836, modeled on Alphonsus Liguori's missionary ideals.
He spent almost his entire life in Secondigliano — a fact that paradoxically gives him a distinctive profile: a man of local, rooted, faithful pastoral service rather than the grand movements of his age. He died on October 29, 1860, just weeks after his birthday.
Pope John Paul II beatified him in 2002. Pope Francis canonized him on October 14, 2018.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Secondigliano, Naples, Campania, Italy
Death location: Secondigliano, Naples, Campania, Italy
Notable location: His hometown and the center of his entire apostolate; he was born and died here; his congregation is based here; he ministered to the poor and workers of this northern Naples neighborhood (Secondigliano, Naples, Campania, Italy)
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Gaetano Errico have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Church of Secondigliano, Naples — his tomb; his congregation's motherhouse.
Feast day
October 29
Veneration
Saint Gaetano Errico is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with an Optional Memorial on October 29.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.