Nicola Mazza

Nicola Mazza (10 March 1790 – 2 August 1865) was an Italian Catholic priest known for his work in the African missions of the 19th century. He was dedicated to both the evangelization of Central Africa (he used to be called "Don Congo" due to this) and equal access to a good education.

He served as a teacher for over three decades as well as a chaplain and was known for his dedication to the Christian formation of children. Mazza was also a student and close friend to Gaspare Bertoni and was also close with a range of prominent prelates including Daniele Comboni, whom he sent to the missions in Africa.

Mazza's beatification process opened in the 1920s and culminated on 3 June 2013 after Pope Francis confirmed his heroic virtue and named Mazza as Venerable. and a second process opened in Verona in 1934 and was later closed in 1937. The third and final investigation into Mazza's life and works was launched several decades later in 1988 and closed not long after in 1989. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints validated the investigation in Rome on 14 December 1990 and later received the Positio dossier from the postulation in two parts in 2000 and 2003 for assessment. It was in between that period that the historical consultants to the C.C.S. approved the cause on 1 October 2002 based on the part of the Positio that had been submitted in 2002. Theologians advising the C.C.S. likewise confirmed the cause a decade later on 21 February 2012 as did the C.C.S. cardinal and bishop members on 21 May 2013.

Mazza was declared to be Venerable on 3 June 2013 after Pope Francis confirmed that the late priest had lived a life of heroic virtue.

The current postulator for this cause is Fr. Francesco Massagrande.