The Diocese of Rome will open on Friday, November 6, at 12:00, the diocesan investigation into the life, heroic virtues, and reputation of holiness of Lorenzo Cuneo, a Roman layman who died at the age of 28 after being struck by a truck on the A1 highway while assisting a driver in distress. The event will take place in the Hall of the Conciliation of the Lateran Apostolic Palace and will be presided over by the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, Baldo Reina.
A scout leader who organized food distribution to the homeless
Cuneo was born in Rome in 1970 and died in 1998. He was a scout leader for Agesci and a volunteer for diocesan Caritas, and at the parish of San Giovanni Battista De Rossi he launched the so-called “Thursday round,” a patrol that still distributes food and companionship to homeless people at the city’s stations. He also took part in relief efforts after the Umbria earthquake, with refugees in Bosnia, in Ukraine with the Focolare Movement, and in Romania.
He studied Natural Sciences at La Sapienza, became involved in environmental defense on the Caffarella Park committee, and at the age of 27 was elected municipal councilor. The postulator of the cause, Paolo Vilotta, summarizes his life with these words: «Lorenzo è stato, per tutta la sua vita, a servizio del prossimo, di qualunque prossimo». He adds that his free time «erano sempre vissuti nell’orazione», and his friends remember him as «il santo del quartiere».
A contemporary cause with direct witnesses
According to the website of the Postulation for the Causes of Saints, this is a “contemporary cause,” which will facilitate the historical reconstruction, given that numerous direct witnesses are still alive. The tribunal will examine the candidate’s life, who already receives the title of Servant of God, and will verify whether there is an authentic reputation of holiness among those who knew him. The Episcopal Conference of Lazio gave its favorable opinion on January 14, 2025, and Cardinal Reina promulgated the edict ten days later.
The opening of the cause comes just days after the Undersecretary of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Father Bogusław Turek, emphasized in an interview with Vatican News, published on November 1, the growing presence of laypeople in beatification and canonization processes: not only young people, but also married couples and entire families.
Turek acknowledged that young candidates “are not very numerous,” but stated that they are “no longer isolated cases” and that their number is clearly higher than a few years ago. Regarding families, he maintained that “man knows holiness, touches it, and is imbued with it in the family.” When asked whether too many saints are being proclaimed today, he replied that the increase is not “excessive” and reflects a growing awareness that holiness is within the reach of every baptized person, as the Second Vatican Council recalled.
With the Lateran session, the collection of testimonies and documents on Cuneo’s life and service will begin. The tribunal is composed of the episcopal delegate, Don Giorgio Ciucci, the promoter of justice, Father Gerardo Gallo, and the notary actuary, Marcello Terramani.