“The heart speaks to the heart”: this phrase sums up the art of Saint Justin de Jacobis, the “shepherd of the burning desert plains,” a living memory of missionary holiness that the Congregation of the Mission celebrates every July 30th. To celebrate his figure is to let oneself be challenged by his witness and to rediscover the truest source of our Vincentian vocation: a life that is given, humble, rooted in love for Christ and the poor, capable of true dialogue and communion, even in the most difficult places.
Saint Justin immediately impressed others with his tenderness and compassion. His homilies and letters are full of attention, delicacy, and sincere friendship toward everyone: fellow missionaries, Catholic faithful, but also Orthodox, Protestants, and even those who declared themselves his enemies. His humanity was the bridge that opened hearts: “He was so human that he became dear to the heart of God and of the poor”st justin de jacobis sh…. Even today, his tomb remains a destination for those who knew him or have only heard of him.
In Justin, we see a holiness that does not retreat into the extraordinary but immerses itself in daily life, facing solitude, fatigue, and misunderstandings with the gentle strength of the Gospel. In his mission, he often experienced suffering—even within the Congregation itself—but he always knew how to live everything as an opportunity for gift, reconciliation, and hope.
The greatness of Saint Justin de Jacobis was not in imposing, but in meeting others. Arriving in Ethiopia, he did not present himself as someone coming to “convert the pagans,” but as a brother seeking unity between the Christians of Africa and the Church of Rome. Facing a culture marked by centuries of Orthodox Christianity, distrust of the West, and political and religious tensions, he chose the way of listening, appreciation, and respect for local traditionst-justin-de-jacobis.
His “art of dialogue” was the key to his missionary success: “The heart speaks to the heart. When I open my mouth, I hand you the key to my heart. Come and see that the Holy Spirit has planted in my heart a great love for the Christians of Ethiopia.” Justin did not seek to “convert” but to “unite,” showing that unity comes through friendship, mutual recognition, and the humility to learn from others. He knew how to value the Ethiopian liturgy, its customs, the power of the Bible, and the ancient local prayers, never imposing the Latin rite. He was one of the few who frequented Orthodox churches to pray with Ethiopian brothers, earning respect and esteem even from those who would never embrace Catholicism.
His witness to Christian life was so transparent that even his adversaries—including the emperor and the Muslim leader who carried his body for days—recognized him as “a good man, a refuge for the poor and marginalized.”
Justin was deeply a son of Saint Vincent and of the Congregation of the Mission, even when he experienced suffering from misunderstandings and loneliness among his own fellow missionaries. He never ceased to feel part of the Vincentian family: “The CM is a flowering tree that offers shade to all. We need the resilience that De Jacobis lived so deeply”st justin de jacobis sh….
Every step he took was entrusted to Mary, the Mother of the Miraculous Medal, to whom he turned before departing, and whom he always felt close—his guide and support in the most difficult moments.
Saint Justin de Jacobis leaves us a message that is incredibly relevant today: in mission, what counts is not the power of our means, but the quality of our love, our ability to build bridges, to speak the language of the other, to become all things to all people in order to bring Christ.
Today, Vincentian missionary, carry with you the Gospel, the Cross, the Rosary, and the Constitutions of the Congregation… but above all, carry a heart that listens, embraces, and respects. Like Justin, let yourself be guided by the tenderness of Mary and do not be afraid to build communion where it seems impossible.
“He conquered the hearts of the Ethiopians with his authentically Christian behavior”: let this be your style, your strength, your joy!
May Saint Justin intercede for each one of us, so that our “missionary heart” becomes the home where all can find peace, hope, and a spark of God.
Happy Feast of Saint Justin de Jacobis!
May his example enlighten our missionary journey, now more necessary than ever.
