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Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria was a devoted Catholic priest and reformer who lived during a time when the Church and society were in deep spiritual need. He is best remembered for his love of the Eucharist, his strong preaching, and his efforts to bring people back to a life of holiness during the difficult years after the Protestant Reformation. He encouraged both priests and laypeople to renew their faith and return to true Christian living.
Anthony Mary was not afraid to challenge the laziness or corruption he saw in the Church. He believed that deep love for Jesus, especially in the Blessed Sacrament and on the Cross, could change hearts. He founded the Barnabites, a group of priests who worked to reform both the clergy and the faithful. His work also helped support the early spread of the Forty Hours' Devotion — a practice of praying before the Blessed Sacrament for long periods.
His feast day is celebrated on July 5, and he is honored for his passion for reform, his humility, and his deep love for Christ crucified. Through his life, we see how one faithful person can help heal the Church and guide others closer to God.
Quick Facts About Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Born | December 1502, in Cremona, Duchy of Milan (now Italy) |
| Died | July 5, 1539, in Cremona, Duchy of Milan (now Italy) |
| Category | Priest, Founder, Confessor |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast Day | July 5 |
| Beatified | January 3, 1890, by Pope Leo XIII |
| Canonized | May 27, 1897, by Pope Leo XIII |
Early Life
Anthony Mary Zaccaria was born in December 1502 in the city of Cremona, located in the Duchy of Milan, which is now part of modern-day Italy. His family was noble and wealthy, but they were also known for their deep Christian faith. Anthony’s father died when he was just two years old, leaving his young mother, Antonia Pescaroli, to raise him. She was a deeply religious woman and played a strong role in forming his early spiritual life. She taught him to love God, to care for the poor, and to trust in divine providence.
The city of Cremona during Anthony’s time was deeply influenced by the Renaissance, which brought both great beauty and great challenges to the Church. While art and learning were flourishing, many people — including some clergy — were becoming careless in their faith. Corruption, worldliness, and a weakening of religious life were common. This was also the period leading up to the Protestant Reformation, which would soon shake the Christian world.
As a boy, Anthony was known for his kindness, intelligence, and calm nature. He studied philosophy and medicine in Pavia and later in Padua, where he earned a degree as a medical doctor. But even as a student, he was not drawn to a life of comfort or fame. He would often give money to the poor, visit the sick, and teach children about the faith. There are no records of major personal sins or rebellion in his youth, but his early choice to give up a promising medical career to serve God shows a deep conversion of heart. His experiences in the world — seeing physical suffering, pride, and spiritual emptiness — helped prepare him to understand what the Church and society truly needed.
Religious Life and Calling
After completing his studies in medicine and practicing briefly as a doctor, Anthony Mary Zaccaria began to feel a deeper calling — not just to heal the body, but to heal souls. His contact with the sick and suffering opened his heart to the spiritual pain people carried. He realized that many lived without hope, guidance, or true faith, and he sensed that God was calling him to something greater than a medical career.
In 1528, at the age of 26, Anthony left behind his work as a doctor and entered the priesthood. He was ordained the same year. This decision was not made lightly. While he had always been devout, becoming a priest meant giving up the security of a respected profession. He faced criticism from some who thought he was wasting his talents. But Anthony had a strong inner conviction that he was meant to help renew the Church from within.
Around this time, Anthony began to gather like-minded people — both clergy and laypeople — who desired reform and holiness in their daily lives. He was influenced by spiritual figures such as Giovanni Battista Carioni (Battista da Crema), a reformer who preached simplicity and personal conversion. Inspired by such teachings, Anthony became more determined to help others rediscover the power of God’s love through prayer, penance, and the sacraments.
In 1530, he founded the Clerics Regular of Saint Paul, more commonly known as the Barnabites, named after the Church of Saint Barnabas in Milan where they served. This was not a monastic order, but a group of priests who lived in community and went out to preach, teach, and guide the faithful. At the same time, he helped found two other groups: the Angelic Sisters of Saint Paul for women, and the Laity of Saint Paul for married and single laypeople.
Anthony faced resistance from some Church leaders and citizens who did not understand his reforms or saw them as a threat. But he remained humble, obedient, and focused on Christ. His calling was not about power or status, but about helping people return to the heart of the Gospel.
Major Contributions or Miracles
Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria is most remembered for his tireless efforts to reform the Catholic Church during a time of spiritual weakness and confusion. His work focused not just on religious communities, but also on laypeople, encouraging everyone to live a deeper, more authentic Christian life.
One of his most significant contributions was the founding of the Clerics Regular of Saint Paul — later known as the Barnabites — in 1530 in Milan. Unlike traditional monks who remained in monasteries, the Barnabites were priests who lived in community but were actively involved in preaching, teaching, and bringing people back to the sacraments. They preached in public places, gave spiritual direction, and encouraged frequent confession and Communion — practices that were not common at the time.
Anthony also co-founded the Angelic Sisters of Saint Paul, a community of women dedicated to education, care for the sick, and spiritual renewal. Alongside this, he organized a lay movement — the Laity of Saint Paul — to help everyday Christians grow in faith and virtue, showing his belief that holiness was not only for priests and nuns.
He strongly promoted Eucharistic devotion and was one of the early promoters of the Forty Hours’ Devotion — a continuous period of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, usually over two days. This practice encouraged deeper reverence for Jesus present in the Eucharist and is still practiced in many Catholic communities today.
Anthony was also known for his passionate preaching, particularly in Milan, Cremona, and surrounding areas. His sermons were simple but powerful, calling people to conversion and holiness. He preached not just in churches, but also in public squares and homes, where he reached those who had drifted away from the Church.
As for miracles, no grand or dramatic events are officially recorded during his life, but witnesses testified that his spiritual insight and prayers brought healing, peace, and conversions. His deep union with God and tireless service were seen as signs of grace. After his death, devotion to him grew, and some favors and healings were attributed to his intercession, supporting his cause for canonization.
Suffering, Persecution, or Martyrdom
Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria was not a martyr in the traditional sense, but he did face significant opposition and suffering during his ministry. His call to reform, his bold preaching, and his efforts to revive true Christian living were not always welcomed — especially by those who felt threatened by change.
As a founder of new religious movements and a promoter of deep spiritual renewal, Anthony drew criticism from some members of the clergy and civic leaders who were comfortable with the status quo. His Barnabites, in particular, were sometimes viewed with suspicion because of their public preaching and their strong call for moral reform. Some accused them of being too strict or trying to take control of Church practices.
In 1534, the Barnabites and Angelic Sisters were even investigated by Church authorities in Milan, and for a time, the Angelic Sisters were ordered to leave the city. Though these suspicions were later cleared and their work approved, it caused great sorrow for Anthony. He remained obedient to Church leaders throughout the investigation, showing humility even in the face of misunderstanding.
Beyond external opposition, Anthony also experienced deep personal suffering. He carried the heavy burden of trying to reform a broken Church in a time of great division. The Protestant Reformation had shaken much of Europe, and spiritual confusion was everywhere. Anthony worked tirelessly, often exhausting himself through fasting, travel, and preaching. His body, already weakened by penance and stress, began to fail him in his late thirties.
Though not imprisoned or physically tortured, Anthony suffered through illness and rejection, misunderstandings, and the emotional weight of reform. He bore these trials with patience, trusting in God's plan.
Death and Legacy
By the summer of 1539, Anthony Mary Zaccaria’s health had seriously declined. Years of tireless work, fasting, travel, and personal sacrifice had taken a heavy toll on his body. While visiting his mother in Cremona, he became gravely ill. Despite his suffering, he remained peaceful and united in prayer, ready to meet the Lord he had served so faithfully.
On July 5, 1539, at only 36 years old, Anthony Mary Zaccaria died in his hometown. He was buried in the Church of St. Paul in Cremona. His death was deeply mourned by those who had known him and worked with him, especially the members of the Barnabites and the Angelic Sisters, who saw him not just as a founder but as a spiritual father.
After his death, devotion to him grew steadily, especially among the communities he had founded. People began visiting his tomb and praying for his intercession. Reports of favors and healings followed, and his reputation for holiness continued to spread.
His three foundations — the Barnabites, the Angelic Sisters, and the Laity of Saint Paul — carried on his mission. The Barnabites became especially known for their missionary and educational work throughout Europe and later in other parts of the world. His legacy helped inspire spiritual renewal in many parts of Italy during a time when the Church needed healing and reform.
In the centuries that followed, Anthony’s emphasis on the Eucharist, confession, and active lay involvement in the Church influenced wider Catholic practice. His promotion of the Forty Hours’ Devotion helped strengthen Eucharistic worship, and his vision of reform shaped part of the Catholic Church’s response to the challenges of the Protestant Reformation.
Today, his spiritual children — especially the Barnabites — continue his mission of preaching, education, and pastoral care in several countries. His life remains a testimony to the power of faithful reform carried out with humility, courage, and deep love for Christ.
Canonization and Veneration
The holiness of Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria was recognized long after his death, especially through the continued work of the religious communities he founded. His influence spread through the Barnabites and Angelic Sisters, who preserved his teachings and spiritual example with deep reverence.
Anthony was beatified on January 3, 1890, by Pope Leo XIII, after centuries of devotion to his memory and verified reports of favors and graces through his intercession. Just seven years later, he was canonized a saint on May 27, 1897, also by Pope Leo XIII, who admired Anthony’s role as a Church reformer and model priest.
His feast day is celebrated every year on July 5 in the Roman Catholic Church. He is especially honored in Italy, particularly in Milan and Cremona, where he lived, preached, and died. His major shrine is located at the Church of Saint Barnabas (San Barnaba) in Milan, which remains an important place of devotion and pilgrimage.
Relics of Saint Anthony are preserved and venerated, especially by the Barnabite Fathers. His tomb in Cremona has been a place of prayer for those seeking his intercession. While he is not widely known in every part of the world, his spiritual legacy continues in regions where the Barnabites are active, such as Italy, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the United States, among others.
In many churches served by Barnabites, Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria is remembered with special Masses, novenas, and Eucharistic adoration, especially around his feast day. His commitment to Eucharistic devotion, lay formation, and Church renewal still inspires priests, religious, and laypeople today.
Short Prayer for Intercession
Prayer to Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria
Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria,
you gave your life to bring renewal to a struggling Church,
and you served with deep love, courage, and humility.You faced misunderstanding and hardship,
but you never turned away from Christ crucified
or from the people who needed hope.Pray for us,
that we may grow in love for the Eucharist,
seek holiness in our daily lives,
and serve the Church with faithful hearts.Help us to be patient in suffering,
bold in truth,
and gentle in spirit.Saint Anthony Mary,
pray for us.
Amen.
