Carmine De Palma

Upon his return to Bari, Don Carmine was appointed chaplain of the Basilica of Saint Nicholas on June 17, 1900. Over the decades, he assumed numerous responsibilities within the Basilica's chapter: secretary to the Grand Prior, master of ceremonies, chancellor, guardian of the crypt, cantor, and finally vicar of the chapter from 1945 to 1951. During this period, he managed with wisdom and moderation the delicate issues related to the autonomy of the Basilica's clergy, particularly during the transition of the Basilica from the status of a royal basilica to that of a pontifical basilica in 1929. In 1951, when the chapter was suppressed and the Basilica was entrusted by the Holy See to the Dominican Fathers, Don Carmine demonstrated exemplary obedience and docility. Although he had for a time considered formally entering the Benedictine Order, he understood that his mission was to remain at the service of the Diocese of Bari and its patron saint, Nicholas. He nevertheless remained closely linked to the Benedictine family as an oblate of the Abbey of Montecassino. Alongside his duties at the Basilica, Don Carmine was actively involved in diocesan pastoral care. In 1926, he was appointed diocesan assistant for the women's youth of Catholic Action, and later for the women of Catholic Action. He also served as spiritual director and chaplain for several religious communities, notably the Benedictine nuns of Santa Scolastica in Bari, the Carmelites of Via De Rossi, and the Virgins of Bitonto. Don Carmine became an essential figure in spiritual accompaniment in Bari. He was the guide and confessor to many souls, including seminarians, priests, bishops, as well as local figures of holiness such as Blessed Elia of Saint Clement (Elia di San Clemente), Professor Giovanni Modugno, and Bina Morfini.

Nicknamed the "hero of the confessional" (eroe del confessionale), Father Carmine dedicated the majority of his time and strength to the sacrament of reconciliation. His confessional was a place of welcome, mercy, and profound spiritual direction. With age, his health declined and he was afflicted by various illnesses, even losing his sight completely in his final years. Despite blindness and physical suffering, he continued to celebrate Holy Mass and hear confessions from his room, making himself available to the faithful until his last breath. In February 1961, he celebrated his last public Mass. He passed away peacefully on August 24, 1961, at his home in Bari, at the age of 85, due to heart failure. His funeral was celebrated in the Basilica of Saint Nicholas by Monsignor Michele Mincuzzi, Vicar General of the diocese. According to his express wish, his tomb bears only the following inscription: "Carmelus De Palma, sacerdos Christi" (Carmelo De Palma, priest of Christ). His mortal remains, initially buried in the Bari cemetery, were later transferred to the Benedictine monastery of Santa Scolastica in Bari. The cause for beatification was officially opened at the diocesan level on June 15, 2001, and closed on May 24, 2002. An additional investigation was conducted from May 16, 2006, to February 7, 2007, to examine recovered writings of the priest. On May 5, 2020, Pope Francis recognized the heroic nature of his virtues, thereby declaring him Venerable.

The path to beatification opened thanks to the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession. It concerns the inexplicable healing of a Benedictine nun from the monastery of Santa Scolastica in Bari. This religious sister suffered from a severe stenosis of the foramen magnum with bulbomedullary compression, a severe neurological pathology that caused progressive paralysis of her limbs. While a high-risk surgical treatment was being considered, the community of nuns invoked the intercession of Don Carmine, whose relics had just been transferred to the monastery. During the night of June 1 to 2, 2003, the patient felt a sudden improvement and, the next morning, she was able to get up and walk normally. Subsequent medical examinations confirmed the total disappearance of clinical symptoms despite the anatomical persistence of the compression. On March 28, 2025, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing this miracle as complete, lasting, and scientifically inexplicable. The solemn ceremony of beatification was celebrated on November 15, 2025, in the Cathedral of San Sabino in Bari. The celebration was presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, acting as delegate of Pope Leo XIV. His liturgical memorial is set for January 29, a date celebrated for the first time in 2026 in the Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto.

The spirituality of Blessed Carmine De Palma is deeply marked by the Benedictine influence he received at Montecassino. Moreover, he maintained regular spiritual correspondence with Cardinal Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster, himself a Benedictine. His interior life was centered on the Eucharist, which he adored at length in silence, and on a tender devotion to the Virgin Mary, Saint Nicholas, and Saint Benedict. Don Carmine was distinguished by a profound humility. Although he left behind numerous writings of great theological, spiritual, and cultural richness, he always refused to publish them during his lifetime. His entire life was guided by the constant search for the divine will, summarized by his own maxim: "My only aspiration is to always accomplish the will of God; that is why let us thank Him at every moment with a lively faith, generously accepting what pleases Him." His legacy endures in Bari through the memory of his pastoral charity, his priestly fraternity, and his tireless dedication in the confessional, making him a model of a pastor entirely given to God and to his people.