Saint Anthony Zaccaria

Feast July 5

From Healer of Bodies to Healer of Souls — Patron of Physicians

The Early Years

The year is 1502, and the place is Cremona, nestled in the northern hills of Italy. A young mother gives birth to her firstborn, a son, who is christened “Anthony.” The young noble couple rejoices in being blessed with a healthy son, and their little village rejoices with them.

But the sound of laughter suddenly leaves the Zaccaria household at the tragic death of Anthony’s father. His mother, only 18 years old, is now a widow facing the challenge of raising her two-year-old son alone.

A woman whose strength of will matched her devotion to her Faith, she taught her son to pray from day one. She provided a special altar dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in their home, and Anthony spent many happy moments praying with her there. They also attended Mass together, and the young boy was often seen “preaching” to his friends.

Anthony was also deeply influenced by his mother’s care for the poor. Once, while returning from church, he encountered a poor, half-naked beggar who asked for alms. Having no money on him, Anthony gave the beggar his silk cloak. His dear mother was so overjoyed at her son’s natural inclination to charity that her reaction motivated the child to make this a life-long practice.

When only twenty-two years of age, he earned his doctorate in medicine and returned to Cremona, where he began his work as a physician. His love of God overflowed into his medical practice. He encouraged his sick to pray to God for healing, to receive the Sacraments and to turn away from sin. It wasn’t long before the zealous doctor became a sought-after teacher, first in catechism classes, and eventually, he preached as a layman from the pulpit.

At the urging of his spiritual director, Anthony pursued theological studies, and at the age of twenty-six, he was ordained a priest. During his first Mass, a miracle took place. Absorbed in meditating on the great Sacrifice, and his heart burning with love for God, he went to the foot of the altar. A profound and religious silence prevailed among those present, and all eyes were turned on him, a presage as it were, of the great event about to take place. At the solemn moment of Consecration, a marvelous light encircled him, and a multitude of Angels surrounded him, assisting reverently at the August Sacrifice. This heavenly vision lasted until the sacred species were consumed. The report of the miracle was quickly spread through the city and beyond.

North of Italy, the Protestant Revolution was in full swing. Confusion was prevalent, and indifferentism had become the “religion” of the day, but in Father Anthony, many people found an answer to their spiritual emptiness. They listened to his teaching, confessed their sins, attended his Masses and sought out his counsel.

The Barnabites Are Born

After two years of ministering to his hometown, Father Anthony found himself in the bustling urban city of Milan. The moral decay in that town, however, was so great that Father Anthony knew he needed to do more. After much prayer and meditation upon the Cross, he was inspired to form a new religious community. Two kindred spirits, Bartholomew Ferrari and Anthony Morigia, listened to his ideas and enthusiastically joined him.

Together, they formed a new religious order that came to be known as the Barnabites, after one of Saint Paul’s most faithful companions, Barnabas. Following in the footsteps of Saint Paul, the Barnabites lived the radical Gospel message of Christ crucified. They embraced radical poverty, mortification, charitable works and the proclamation of the Gospel. Little by little, the Milanese hearts began to convert.

Satan, furious at their victories for Christ, lashed out at the fledgling order, first by disturbing their dwellings with noises and vile manifestations, and then by stirring up some townspeople against them. But his useless attacks were thwarted as the people of Milan continued to grow in adoration of Christ crucified.

Before long, Father Anthony encouraged Countess Ludovica Torelli, for whom he was spiritual director, to petition the pope for permission to found a new order. Once granted, the Angelic Sisters of St. Paul was founded. They lived a life of prayer, penance, poverty, and public works of charity, working to reform religious life as a whole. The order flourished and made a great impact in Milan and other cities.

Among his many spiritual accomplishments, perhaps Saint Anthony Zaccaria is best known for fostering devotion to the Blessed Sacrament by instituting the practice of forty hours’ devotion before the exposed Eucharist. He also encouraged frequent Communion and prompted churches to ring their bells at three o’clock on Fridays to invite people to a moment of prayerful recollection of the Passion of Christ.

One day as the saint was going along the banks of the river Po, he met a young man. Father Anthony Mary stopped, and, looking at him with sweetness, said: "I wish, my son, you would think well over the affairs of your salvation and arrange them while there is yet time, for my heart tells me you will be called from this world much sooner than you think." At this time, the youth was strong and robust, but struck by this unexpected advice, he made his sincere confession to the saint on the spot. It was a good thing that he did, for the next day, he was called before God, having died from a terrible accident.

After years of severe penance and tireless service in his apostolate, Father Anthony died in 1539 at the age of thirty-six.

As he himself had foretold, on July 5, at the very hour when the first Vespers for the octave of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul were being sung in the church, and after having received the Last Sacraments, the soul of Anthony Mary passed peacefully to its God. A life short in duration, but long when we consider all he had done for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Twenty-seven years later, his body was found to be incorrupt.