St. Anthony Maria Zaccaria
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| Saint Anthony Maria Zaccaria | |
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| Founder of the Barnabites | |
| Born | 1502, Cremona, Italy |
| Died | 5 July 1539, Milan, Italy |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 3 January 1890, Rome |
| Canonized | 27 May 1897, Rome |
| Major shrine | San Paolo convent, Milan |
| Feast | 5 July |
| Attributes | Black cassock, lily, cross, chalice, host |
| Patronage | The Barnabite order |
St Anthony Maria Zaccaria (Italian: Antonio Maria) (1502 - 5 July 1539) was born at Cremona, Italy. His lost his father at the age of two, and was brought up as an only child by his mother. At an early age, he took a private vow of chastity. He studied philosophy at Pavia, and from 1520 medicine at the University of Padua. After completing studies in 1524, he practised as a doctor in Cremona for three years.
In 1527, he started studying for the priesthood. Because of his already extensive studies and his Christian upbringing, he was ordained in 1528. Having explored his calling for two years, mainly working in hospitals and institutions for the poor, he became spiritual advisor to Countess Ludovica Torelli of Guastalla in 1530, and followed her to Milan. There, he founded an order, the Clerics Regular of St Paul (commonly known as the Barnabites), in 1530. The order had the teachings of St. Paul and emphasis on the Eucharist as its main devotions. As the order was critical of what they saw as abuses in the Roman Catholic Church, he soon gained a number of enemies, and as founder of the order he was twice investigated for heresy, in 1534 and 1537. He was acquitted both times. In 1536, he stepped down as general of the order and went to Vicenza, where he reformed two convents and founded the order's second house.
While in Vincenza, he first performed his Forty-hour devotion, a wake lasting forty hours to be used in times of dire need. The practise is still popular in Italy. He also revived the custom of ringing church bells at 3 p.m. on Fridays, in remembrance of the Crucifixion. He left only a few writings: Twelve letters, six sermons and the constitution of the Barnabites.
While on a mission to Guastalla in 1539, he caught a fever. Combined with the strict penances he performed, his health waned, and he died on 5 July 1539, aged 37.
He was buried in the convent of the Angelics of St Paul, the female branch of the Barnabites, in Milan. 27 years after his death, his body was found to be incorrupt. He was honoured as a saint by the Barnabites and others, but his cult was not confirmed before 3 January 1890, when Pope Leo XIII beatified him. The same pontiff canonized him on 27 May 1897. His memorial day is 5 July.
In art, he is depicted wearing the black cassock of the order and holding a lily, cross, chalice and/or host.