St. Anthony Zaccaria
Feast Day: July 5
“If you want to live in perfect charity, you must root out every desire for your own advantage.” – St. Anthony Zaccaria
A Reformer and Apostle of Renewal
St. Anthony Zaccaria is honored for his role in renewing the Church during the Catholic Reformation, calling both clergy and laity to deeper holiness, prayer, and love of the Eucharist. His feast day, celebrated on July 5, commemorates his courageous efforts to revive spiritual life in a time of widespread corruption and lukewarmness.
A Physician Called to Heal Souls
Anthony was born in 1502 in Cremona, Italy, into a noble and devout family. He became a physician, but soon realized that God was calling him not only to heal bodies but also to heal souls.
He left his medical career behind to study theology and was ordained a priest, dedicating himself entirely to the spiritual renewal of the Church.
Founder of the Barnabites
In 1530, Anthony founded the Clerics Regular of St. Paul, commonly known as the Barnabites, named after their mother church, St. Barnabas in Milan. The order focused on revitalizing parish life, preaching, teaching, and encouraging devotion to the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist.
He also helped found religious communities for women (the Angelic Sisters of St. Paul) and married laity (the Laity of St. Paul) to promote holiness in every state of life.
Promoter of the Eucharist and the Passion of Christ
Anthony encouraged the practice of frequent Communion, Eucharistic Adoration, and the Forty Hours Devotion—forty continuous hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
He also fostered deep meditation on the Passion of Christ, urging the faithful to find strength and renewal in the sufferings and love of Jesus.
A Short Life of Great Impact
Despite his tireless work, Anthony’s life was brief. He died in 1539, at the age of 36, worn out from his labors for Christ. His influence, however, continued to spread through the religious communities he founded, bringing about deep spiritual reform in Italy and beyond.
Patron of Physicians and Spiritual Reformers
St. Anthony Zaccaria is the patron saint of physicians and those working for the spiritual renewal of the Church, a model of how love for Christ compels both interior holiness and active service.
A Witness to Holiness in Action
St. Anthony Zaccaria’s life reminds the faithful that reform begins with personal conversion, and that devotion to the Eucharist, the Passion of Christ, and deep prayer has the power to transform not only individuals but entire communities.
St. Anthony Zaccaria, pray for us!
