Pope Leo XIV initiates diocesan investigation into the life and virtues of Father Luigi Di Liegro

Pope Leo XIV has approved the decision to begin the diocesan investigation into the life, virtues, and reputation for holiness of Father Luigi Di Liegro, a priest of the Roman Catholic Church who died on October 12, 1997. This procedural step marks the formal start of the canonical process required for potential beatification and canonization. The announcement was received with significant joy by those who knew the late priest, particularly within the charitable structures of the diocese where he served for decades.

Guerino Di Tora, the auxiliary emeritus bishop of the Diocese of Roma, expressed that this development brings great happiness to the entire Caritas community. Di Tora, who was the first collaborator and later the successor of Father Di Liegro as the director of Caritas Roma, emphasized the importance of recognizing the late priest's merits in his pastoral activity. He specifically highlighted Di Liegro's total dedication to the poor and the most needy members of the city, viewing the investigation as a way to honor that legacy.

Father Luigi Di Liegro was born in Gaeta on October 16, 1928, and was ordained a priest in 1953. His career in social service began in 1972 when he assumed the directorship of the Diocesan Pastoral Center. In this role, he focused on animating the Christian community and managing social services. During the 1974 Congress on the Ills of Rome, he used this platform to draw attention to poverty, marginalization, and social problems in the capital.

In 1979, the Diocesan Caritas of Rome was established, and Di Liegro became its first director. He held this position until his death in Milan on October 12, 1997. His approach to charity went beyond simple assistance; he sought to understand the root causes of poverty to intervene before individuals were excluded from society. He was frequently referred to as the priest of the most needy. In Rome, the shelter and night canteen on Marsala Street still bear his name in recognition of his work.

In 2025, the remains of Father Di Liegro were transferred from the Verano cemetery to the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles. Bishop Di Tora recalled a specific episode where Di Liegro traveled to Belgium to meet Italian workers in the Marcinelle mines. This experience helped bring the reality of the working class to Rome. Di Tora also remembered joint camping trips in Trentino with young workers, where Di Liegro focused his attention on their difficulties and hopes.

Di Tora described Di Liegro as a man of great spirituality who combined this inner life with attention to all social problems. He noted that Di Liegro was not just a saint who waited for people to come to him, but one who actively knocked on the doors of others. He persisted in his convictions without discouragement. Di Tora, who succeeded Di Liegro in 1997 after being called by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the then vicar general for the Diocese of Roma, viewed continuing the work as a significant commitment. He noted that the memory of Di Liegro remained strong among collaborators and in the visible results of his charitable projects.