Anthony Maria Zaccaria

Who they were

Anthony Maria Zaccaria was born at Cremona in 1502 and lost his father when a few months old. His mother raised him in faith and care for the poor, and sent him to study medicine at Padua; he told her he had consecrated himself to God and would use medicine to serve the poor. Graduated at 22, he cared for the sick poor of Cremona free of charge and gathered the city's boys for catechism.

His spiritual director showed him that the soul's illnesses were many too, and he became a priest. He founded the Clerics Regular of St Paul, the Barnabites, promoted frequent Communion and adoration of the Eucharist, and died in 1539.

The miracles

The miracles examined for his canonisation are not described in the sources we have used.

Why that counted as sanctity

A doctor of bodies became a doctor of souls, urging Christians to talk to Christ crucified about everything and to 'serve without reward', always pressing on toward perfection.