Venerable Nicola Riezzo

Nicola Riezzo (11 December 1904 - 20 August 1998) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Otranto from 1969 until his retirement in 1981. He had served prior to this as the Bishop of Castellaneta and concurrent to his term in office as an apostolic administrator for another diocese. Riezzo was well known for his holiness, with the priests in his diocese coming to love and admire him due to his careful attention to evangelization and catechesis. He had served as a professor following his ordination in Assisi and Molfetta prior to being nominated to the episcopate. Following his retirement in 1981 he moved to his hometown where he served as a pastor in his childhood San Nicola parish where he was known for remaining for extended periods in the confessional and out visiting the sick. His holiness had been noted as a bishop in both dioceses and steps were taken after his death in 1998 in order to launch the cause for his beatification. These initial steps culminated in 2004 after the cause commenced and Riezzo was titled as a Servant of God. Nicola Riezzo was born on 11 December 1904 in Squinzano in the Lecce province as the third of six children. He was baptized on 12 December in the local San Nicola parish church. His paternal uncle Vincenzo Riezzo was a priest and served as an influence on Nicola's childhood and approach to faith. He attended school first at the Calasanzio-run institute at Campi Salentina and then in 1923 entered the Capranica College in Rome in addition to the Pontifical Gregorian where he earned a degree in theological studies. He received his ordination to the priesthood in the San Nicola parish on 21 August 1927 from Gennaro Trama and following this taught students in Lecce. Riezzo later started serving as a professor for theological studies in Assisi from 1932 until 1934 and then taught dogmatics in Molfetta from 1934 until 1958 in addition to teaching asceticism.