Consider the story of Cláudio de Sousa and Luiza Leite de Souza. Their journey to Italy in 1920 led to the creation of Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Pompeia. They visited the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii. Their daughter suffered from a serious illness. Doctors considered it incurable. Cláudio and Luiza desperately sought a miracle.
At the sanctuary, they prayed for their daughter’s healing. They asked for the intercession of Mary. Still in Pompeii, they received wonderful news. Their daughter was suddenly improving. She felt inexplicably cured. Returning to Brazil, they saw the miracle with their own eyes.
Deeply grateful, they decided to build a small chapel. It would be on their land at the highest point overlooking the region. This high point is now Avenida Pompeia. The little chapel measured seven by fourteen meters. It stood overlooking the sparsely populated area. The couple placed an image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii inside. They had brought it from Italy. On October 12, 1922, Father Venâncio Nalini blessed the chapel. He dedicated it to the people’s devotion. The neighborhood grew around the chapel. It took its name from the patron saint. That is why it is called Vila Pompeia.
The Camilian priests and religious arrived in Brazil in 1922. Saint Camillus de Lellis founded them in Italy in 1582. Their main mission was caring for the sick. They did not settle in Mariana as planned. Instead, they came to São Paulo. Father Inocente Radrizzani contacted Dom Duarte Leopoldo e Silva. Dom Duarte was the Archbishop of São Paulo. He warmly welcomed the Camilians. He offered them the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Pompeia and its surroundings. The neighborhood was very poor. The archbishop thought it was a good place for them to start their work. The priest immediately accepted the offer.
Father Inocente took possession of the chapel on November 1, 1923. This was All Saints’ Day. From then on, Mass was held every Sunday. Catechism classes began. On Saturdays, people recited the Rosary. Devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii grew. The population increased too.
Father Inocente had a social vision for his work. He established a small school for local children. Education was limited in the area at the time. He also provided a medical clinic. It offered free care to the entire population. Over the years, this clinic evolved. It became the Policlinica S. Camilo. Today, it is the Hospital Maternidade São Camilo. It is a major center of health reference.
The chapel became too small due to the neighborhood’s growth. A new church was needed. In 1928, construction began on the current Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Pompeia. Architect Giuseppe Sachetti designed the church. It mirrored the lines of the sanctuary in Pompeii, Italy. The church was mainly built in five years.
Some years later, the parish was created. It separated from the Parish of São João Vianey. Father José Simoni became the first Parish Priest on November 19, 1939. He remained in charge for many years.
Note that Camilians have administered the parish from the beginning. Because of this, it became known for its work in healthcare. This included care in homes and hospitals. Many people associate it with the nearby Hospital S. Camilo. The hospital was conceived by Father Inocente. It stands to the right of the Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Pompeia.