Giovanni Jacono

On July 2, 1918, Pope Benedict XV appointed him bishop of the diocese of Molfetta-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, in Apulia. He received episcopal consecration on September 8, 1918, in the Cathedral of Catania at the hands of Cardinal Francica-Nava. The ceremony took place in a nearly empty cathedral due to the terrible Spanish flu epidemic that was raging at the time. During his three years of episcopate in Molfetta, he distinguished himself by his tireless charity toward the poor and the sick. On March 18, 1921, he was transferred by Pope Benedict XV to the episcopal see of Caltanissetta, in Sicily, where he made his solemn entry on September 28 of the same year. He would exercise his pastoral ministry there for thirty-five years, guided by his episcopal motto: "Super omnia caritas" (Charity above all). His long episcopate spanned particularly complex historical periods: the rise of fascism, the Second World War (during which the Cathedral of Caltanissetta was severely damaged by the bombings of 1943), and the post-war period marked by political tensions. Bishop Jacono remained firmly committed to preserving the independence and dignity of the clergy in the face of political and economic influences. He worked actively for the material and spiritual reconstruction of his diocese, expanding the seminary, founding dozens of new parishes, and ensuring the spiritual and intellectual formation of priests and laypeople. In 1953, due to his advanced age, Pope Pius XII appointed a coadjutor bishop, Bishop Francesco Monaco, to assist him. In June 1956, Bishop Jacono submitted his resignation. He was then elevated to the rank of titular archbishop of Mocissus by Pius XII on August 21, 1956. He retired humbly to his hometown of Ragusa, where he piously passed away on May 25, 1957, at the age of 84.

The reputation for holiness of Bishop Giovanni Jacono, already widely spread during his lifetime, was maintained and amplified after his death. Nicknamed the "good bishop" or "the bishop of charity," he left a lasting impression through his absolute detachment from material goods. He died in total poverty, without leaving a will. After his passing, the only thing found on his desk was an envelope containing the modest sum of 15,000 lire intended for his funeral. During his funeral homily, the Bishop of Ragusa, Mgr Francesco Pennisi, highlighted this evangelical poverty by declaring that he was descending into the grave with a simple chasuble and a cloth mitre, for his true wealth was the holiness of his life.

The process of beatification and canonization of Bishop Giovanni Jacono was officially opened on January 13, 2008, in the Cathedral of Caltanissetta by the local bishop, Bishop Mario Russotto. The diocesan inquiry, which gathered more than 600 documents and about fifty direct testimonies, was solemnly closed on September 27, 2012. On November 7, 2018, Pope Francis authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, thereby conferring upon him the title of Venerable. In September 2019, following a canonical recognition of his remains in Ragusa, his body was solemnly transferred from the Cathedral of Ragusa to the Cathedral of Caltanissetta, in order to rest in the heart of the diocese he served for more than three decades, while an important relic was kept in Ragusa.

The spirituality of Bishop Giovanni Jacono rests entirely on the love of God, the Church, and one's neighbor, embodied in his motto 'Super omnia caritas'. His life of intense prayer was centered on the Eucharist and adoration, which sustained his daily pastoral action. His humility and kindness deeply marked his contemporaries, starting with his former fellow student, Pope John XXIII. The latter, while receiving a priest from Caltanissetta in an audience one day, confided his admiration for Bishop Jacono by saying that he prayed to the Lord to become as good as him. The venerable archbishop leaves behind the image of a pastor entirely given to his flock, a model of evangelical poverty and paternal solicitude for the most destitute.