On October 19, 2025, Pope Leo XIV will canonize Blessed Bartolo Longo, a man once enslaved by the lies of Satan who, through Mary, became one of the greatest apostles of the Rosary.
Providentially, among the Pope’s first canonizations is the saint of Pompeii—fitting, since his election as Supreme Pontiff fell on the feast of Our Lady of Pompeii.
Bartolo’s canonization comes at a critical moment for America, where countless souls are searching for something real—purpose, control, and meaning in a fractured world. Yet tragically, many are looking in the wrong places. Spells, crystals, tarot cards, and witchcraft are becoming all too common.
In the United States, the Satanic Temple has grown increasingly active, cloaking itself in the language of “love” and “acceptance” while working to counteract Christianity. Their efforts range from after-school programs to abortion activism, including the launch of telehealth abortion centers.
At the same time, New Age practices are rapidly spreading. AP News reported earlier this year that nearly three in ten Americans consult astrology, tarot, or fortune tellers at least once a year. At the same time, nearly 28 percent now claim no affiliation with any religion. On social media, “WitchTok” and related hashtags boast tens of billions of views, catechizing an entire generation into false spirituality.
Yet God has always spoken with clarity:
“Let there not be found among you anyone…who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, augur, or sorcerer, or who casts spells, consults ghosts and spirits, or seeks oracles from the dead. Anyone who does such things is an abomination to the LORD” (Deuteronomy 18:10–12).
This is no small matter. To seek power apart from God is to embrace self-destruction. Christians must not only warn against such practices but also offer something greater—a spirituality that brings new life, not death.
Blessed Bartolo Longo knew this truth firsthand.
Born in 1841, he embraced spiritism as a young man and was even ordained a priest of Satan.
Later, he confessed,
“I renounce spiritism because it is nothing but a maze of error and falsehood.”
By God’s mercy, his life did not end in despair. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bartolo experienced a profound conversion. Mary drew him out of darkness, and in gratitude, he consecrated his life to Christ through her.
He became a Dominican tertiary, spread devotion to the Rosary, and built the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii. From priest of Satan to Apostle of the Rosary, Bartolo’s life proves that no soul is beyond redemption.
Mary was the one who brought Bartolo out of bondage, and she remains the answer to America’s crisis.
She is the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the United States, and the woman who crushes the serpent’s head.
As Carrie Gress writes in The Marian Option:
“When the storms of temptation encompass you, look up to this star, invoke Mary… If you follow her, you will not go astray. And if you hold fast to her, you will not fail. … It is Mary who weeds out the untruths.”
Just as she uprooted the lies in Bartolo’s life, she can uproot the lies deceiving millions today.
The temptations Bartolo faced mirror those gripping America now: the lure of false religions, the seduction of occult practices, and the ancient whisper of Satan that we can be “like gods.” His life proclaims that these paths lead only to despair. The true path to peace, healing, and freedom is found in Christ—and the surest way to Christ is through His Mother.
With Bartolo Longo soon raised among the saints of heaven, America will gain a powerful intercessor in this spiritual battle.
His canonization is more than the recognition of one man’s holiness; it is a gift from God to the world in this moment, meant to be received and met with devotion.
In an age of spellcasting, crystals, and counterfeit spirituality, Catholics must spread devotion to Our Lady and the Rosary, which illuminate the heart and truth of Jesus Christ. To love our neighbor is to lead them to this life-giving truth.
Satan’s ancient lie must not be allowed to flourish in this land.
Through the Rosary, through devotion to Mary, and through the witness of heaven’s newest saint, Bartolo Longo, America can cut through the demonic fog with the radiant light of Christ.