Justin de Jacobis was an Italian Catholic bishop and missionary born in San Fele in 1800. A member of the Congregation of the Mission, he was ordained a priest in Brindisi in 1824 and later provided aid during a cholera epidemic in Naples. He is primarily recognized for his extensive missionary work in East Africa, where he served as the Vicar Apostolic of Abyssinia and the first Prefect Apostolic of Ethiopia.
Missionary work
While serving as the Titular Bishop of Nilopolis, de Jacobis focused his efforts on the Ethiopian region. His leadership led to the establishment of the Ethiopian and Eritrean Catholic Churches. During his ministry, he faced significant challenges from local authorities, which resulted in his imprisonment and eventual exile. He died of fever in Hebo in 1860.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognizes him as a saint. Following his death, he was declared Venerable by Pope Pius XI. He was later beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1939 and finally canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975. His feast day is observed annually on July 31.