Daniel Comboni
Catholic saint, bishop and missionary (1831–1881)
Feast: 10 October (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Daniele Comboni was born at Limone sul Garda on 15 March 1831, the fourth of eight children of poor farm workers, most of whom died young. Ordained in 1854, three years later he left for Africa with his mother's blessing: 'Go, Daniele, and may the Lord bless you.'
He devised a bold new plan for the mission of Africa, founded the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus and the Comboni Missionary Sisters, and on 2 July 1877 was named Vicar Apostolic of Central Africa, the first Catholic bishop there. He died at Khartoum among his people on 10 October 1881, aged fifty.
The miracles
The Dicastery's biography does not describe the miracles approved in the cause.
Why that counted as sanctity
A missionary whose bold plan for Africa was thought mad, and who gave his whole life to its peoples.
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - biography: Daniele Comboni
- Wikidata Q559236 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Daniele Comboni (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.