Rosario Livatino

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Rosario Livatino: The Boy Judge Who Stood for Justice

Rosario Angelo Livatino (3 October 1952 – 21 September 1990) was an Italian magistrate from Canicattì, Sicily. He became known as the “boy judge” for his youthful appearance and calm, principled work. Livatino fought corruption in southern Italy and helped convict and seize money and property from organized crime figures.

Early life and career
- Born in Canicattì, Sicily.
- Studied law at the University of Palermo, graduating in 1975.
- Served as vice-director of the Register Office in Agrigento (1977–1978).
- Became magistrate at the court in Caltanissetta, then deputy prosecutor at the Agrigento court (1979–1989).
- In 1989 he was appointed judge (giudice a latere) and continued his work against corruption and crime.

Murder
- On 21 September 1990, Livatino was killed while driving to court on a road between Canicattì and Agrigento.
- Four killers were paid by the Stidda, a Mafia-type group in Agrigento.
- He died at age 37 and is remembered for his courage in pursuing justice.

Legacy in culture
- His life inspired the novel Il giudice ragazzino (The Boy Judge) by Nando Dalla Chiesa (1992) and a 1994 film adaptation.

Beatification and sainthood
- In 1993, the Bishop of Agrigento began the process for Livatino’s beatification.
- The diocesan process opened officially on 21 September 2011 in Canicattì and ran with testimonies from many people, including those connected to his killers.
- The diocesan phase closed on 6 September 2018, and the records were sent to Rome for examination.
- Pope John Paul II had previously called Livatino a martyr of justice and faith.
- In December 2020, Pope Francis approved the decree of martyrdom.
- On 9 May 2021, Livatino was beatified (declared Blessed) in Agrigento Cathedral by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro. He became the first Italian magistrate to be declared Blessed.

Translation of relics
- On 15 March 2025, Livatino’s body was moved from his family mausoleum to the Church of Santa Chiara in Canicattì.
- His remains are kept in a glass reliquary wearing judicial robes, and the blood-stained shirt he wore when killed is kept separately as a relic.

The Rosario Livatino Study Center
- Established in 2015, the Rosario Livatino Study Center is a think tank of jurists focusing on the right to life, the family, religious freedom, and the limits of jurisdiction.
- It runs workshops, conferences, and publishes the semi-annual law review l-Jus.

Veneration
- Rosario Livatino is venerated in the Catholic Church as Blessed, a martyr of justice and faith.
- His feast day is October 29.