Donato Manduzio

Who was Donato Manduzio?

Donato Manduzio was a self-taught Italian mystic.

Donato was the son of Giuseppe Manduzio and Concetta Frascaria, poor peasants from San Nicandro. He did not go to school but he learned reading and writing during his military service in World War I. After the war, he started to read extensively on religion and by 1930, he claimed to have had a vision, starting to spread his Judaizer message among the folk of his native town. Later, he contacted the Jewish authorities and organised the formal conversion of his followers known as San Nicandro Jews. The community gradually migrated to Israel after Manduzio's death.