POMPILIO MARIA PIRROTTI, saint. — Piarist, b. at Montecalvo Irpino (Avellino) on 29 Sept. 1710, d. at Campi Salentina (Lecce) on 15 July 1766. He taught in various houses of the provinces of Naples and Apulia.
Everywhere he distinguished himself above all by his activity as an apostle and missionary, which he exercised extensively and with universal admiration in Naples, in various towns of the Abruzzi, in Ancona, in Romagna, and finally at Campi Salentina, where he was Superior, a model for the religious house. His plain and simple preaching, at times accompanied by miracles, exercised great fascination among the people. He was a great promoter of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He was beatified by Leo XIII in 1890 and canonized by Pius XI in 1934. Feast day: 15 July.