Ugo De Blasi

From the time of his ordination, Father Ugo De Blasi dedicated himself fully to the formation of seminarians and the laity. He was first placed at the head of the "Mons. Zola" youth association of the parish of San Giovanni Battista al Rosario, where he became vice-pastor from 1943 to 1950. At the same time, he held various positions within the diocesan curia: he was appointed curial assistant, then vice-chancellor on March 7, 1946. He also taught literature and mathematics at the diocesan seminary, where he served as spiritual father until October 5, 1953. On October 11, 1950, Bishop Mgr. Francesco Minerva appointed him diocesan assistant for the Women's Youth of Catholic Action. From 1950 to 1959, he taught religion at the "Palmieri" classical high school in Lecce. On September 1, 1957, he was appointed penitentiary canon of the Lecce Cathedral chapter, a ministry of confession and spiritual direction that was particularly demanding and which he exercised with great devotion. He was subsequently appointed episcopal delegate for Catholic Action, a role he held from July 1, 1963, to January 1, 1975. On January 1, 1969, he became episcopal vicar for the apostolate of the laity. Sensitive to the distress of the most marginalized, he also served as chaplain of the Lecce prison from 1969 to 1972. On July 1, 1972, he returned as pastor to the Basilica of San Giovanni Battista al Rosario. Despite the painful observation of a weakening of faith in a social context marked by exclusion, he invested himself without measure to revitalize the parish community. On January 1, 1975, he was appointed episcopal vicar, and then, on April 1, 1977, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Lecce, balancing his pastoral zeal with his administrative responsibilities.

Father Ugo De Blasi died suddenly on the morning of February 6, 1982, at the age of 63. He passed away while kneeling in prayer, reciting the rosary before the altar of the Virgin of the Rosary in the Basilica of San Giovanni Battista al Rosario in Lecce. His reputation for holiness, already well established during his lifetime due to his humility, gentleness, and constant availability, spread rapidly after his death. On February 6, 2001, the Archdiocese of Lecce officially opened the diocesan process for his beatification and canonization. This diocesan process concluded on June 27, 2005. The instruction of the cause was then transmitted to Rome, under the successive direction of postulators Msgr. Fernando Filograna (until 2013) and then Father Gianni Califano, OFM.

On December 17, 2022, Pope Francis authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree recognizing his heroic virtues, thereby conferring upon him the title of Venerable. On February 9, 2023, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, presided over a solemn Eucharistic celebration in the Cathedral of Lecce to officially present the decree of venerability to the Metropolitan Archbishop, Mgr. Michele Seccia, in the presence of the clergy and the faithful of the region.

The spirituality of Don Ugo De Blasi is deeply Christocentric, Eucharistic, and Marian. He conceived the priesthood as a total identification with Christ, writing in his spiritual notes: "The life of a priest is only justified on the basis of a deep and expansive love for Jesus Christ. An uncontainable love that becomes proclamation, witness, service." He spent long hours in adoration before the tabernacle, drawing from silent prayer the strength necessary to give himself to others, especially through the sacrament of reconciliation. His death, which occurred while he was praying the rosary before the image of the Virgin, seals an entire life placed under the protection of Mary, whom he considered the perfect model of the Christian life. He also developed for the laity of Catholic Action the theory of the "three Ts" in order to live an embodied spiritual life in daily life: the "head" (testa) to keep one's gaze turned upward, "time" (tempo) so that chronological time becomes the time of salvation, and the "pocket" (tasca) to generously share one's resources with those who need them most. His mortal remains rest in the Basilica of San Giovanni Battista al Rosario in Lecce, where many faithful continue to come to pray and seek his intercession.