Venerable Nicola Mazza

Nicola Mazza (10 March 1790 – 2 August 1865) was an Italian Catholic priest known for his work in the African missions of the 19th century. He was dedicated to both the evangelization of Central Africa (he used to be called "Don Congo" due to this) and equal access to a good education. He served as a teacher for over three decades as well as a chaplain and was known for his dedication to the Christian formation of children. Mazza was also a student and close friend to Gaspare Bertoni and was also close with a range of prominent prelates including Daniele Comboni, whom he sent to the missions in Africa. Mazza's beatification process opened in the 1920s and culminated on 3 June 2013 after Pope Francis confirmed his heroic virtue and named Mazza as Venerable. Nicola Mazza was born on 10 March 1790 in Verona as the eldest of nine brothers to the silk and fabric merchants Luigi Mazza and Rosa Pajola. His parents managed a fabric store in the Piazza delle Erbe. The Mazza's moved to Marcellise in 1797 following the French occupation; the town was a hamlet of San Martino Buon Albergo. In 1821 his father was forced to sell his estate and villa due to financial difficulties. He was a student to the priest Antonio Cesari and was also a close disciple to Saint Gaspare Bertoni who both proved to be strong influences on Mazza's life and personal spiritual inclinations. Cesari was brought in to homeschool Mazza since the latter's often frail health prevented him from going to school. His vocation matured under Cesari's guidance and he soon felt called to enter the priesthood as a more direct means to dedicate himself to the needs of the poor. He commenced his ecclesial studies in Verona on 21 June 1807 before Mazza received his ordination to the priesthood on 26 March 1814. Following his ordination he first served in the churches of S. Fermo Maggiore and San Nicolò before being assigned in 1816 to teach seminarians in Verona.