Luigi Tezza was an Italian Catholic priest of the Camillian order who dedicated his life to serving the impoverished and the ill. Born in 1841, he spent significant time in France before moving to Peru in 1900 to address needs within his religious order. He is widely recognized for founding the Daughters of St. Camillus, a female branch of his congregation, and for his extensive ministry in Lima. Known as the Apostle of Lima, he died in Peru in 1923 and was later beatified by the Catholic Church.
Life and ministry
After entering the Camillian order as a teenager, Tezza was ordained in 1864. He served as a novice master in Rome and later worked in France, where he established centers for the needy. In 1892, he co-founded the Daughters of St. Camillus to expand the order's mission of care. His work eventually led him to Peru, where he spent his final decades ministering to people in hospitals and prisons.
Veneration
Tezza was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 4 November 2001, following the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession. Because of his profound impact on the spiritual and physical welfare of the people in his mission territory, he is remembered as the Apostle of Lima. His feast day is celebrated on 26 September.