Vittorio De Marino

During his years of medical practice in Naples, Vittorio De Marino distinguished himself by his boundless charity, becoming the "doctor of the poor." He treated the indigent for free in his parish and at their homes, discreetly leaving them money to buy their medicines. Having become a Barnabite priest, he was sent to San Felice a Cancello, where he dedicated himself to preaching, spiritual retreats, and confession. In 1916, he was appointed superior of the community. When the First World War broke out, the religious house was requisitioned by the army and the region found itself deprived of doctors. Father Vittorio then resumed his medical service day and night. His dedication reached its peak during the terrible Spanish flu epidemic, where he tirelessly cared for the sick at the risk of his own life. Later, he was appointed rector of the apostolic school of Arpino in 1922, then superior of the community of Santa Maria di Caravaggio in Naples in 1924.

The spiritual journey of Vittorio De Marino is characterized by an admirable synthesis between medical science and the Christian faith. His long wait of twenty-three years before entering the convent testifies to a heroic obedience and patience. His colleague and friend, the famous physician Saint Giuseppe Moscati, held him in deep esteem and admired his virtue. As a priest, Father Vittorio distinguished himself by his gentleness, his docility, and his constant availability in the confessional. He lived in poverty, entirely given to others, and bore with exemplary patience the sufferings of prostate cancer, which took him on July 16, 1929, at the Bianchi College in Naples. His reputation for holiness, already immense during his lifetime as a physician and priest, continued to grow after his death.

Immediately after his death in 1929, the reputation of holiness of Vittorio De Marino prompted the Barnabite fathers to collect testimonies about his life. In 1954, twenty-five years after his death, his remains were transferred from the Poggioreale cemetery to the church of San Giovanni Evangelista in San Felice a Cancello, the main site of his apostolate. That same year, the informative process for his beatification was officially opened. On December 21, 1992, Pope John Paul II signed the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, thus conferring upon him the title of venerable. His liturgical memory is locally commemorated on July 16, the day of his birth into heaven.

The legacy of Vittorio De Marino remains alive, particularly in the Naples and Caserta regions. He embodies the model of the Christian physician who sees Christ in the sick, much like his contemporary Saint Giuseppe Moscati. His birthplace in Villaricca and the church of San Giovanni Evangelista in San Felice a Cancello, where his body rests, are places of pilgrimage and memory. A bronze statue depicting him with his doctor's bag was inaugurated in 2001 in the square that bears his name in San Felice a Cancello. His spirituality, deeply Marian and centered on active charity, continues to inspire the Barnabites and healthcare professionals who seek to reconcile science, compassion, and faith.