Who Was Saint Anthony Zaccaria? Biography and Impact on the Counter‑Reformation

Saint Anthony Zaccaria, 16th-century Italian Saint and a leader of the Counter-Reformation. He had a Devotion to the Passion of Christ and the Eucharist. He was born in Italy in 1502, and he died on July 5, 1539. He was an early leader of the Counter-Reformation. He was the founder of the Barnabites and a promoter of devotion to the Passion of Christ and the Eucharist. He strongly believed in the renewal of religious life among the laity. Do you prefer Catholic Priests who prioritize the religious life of the laity?

Saint Anthony Zaccaria Biography

Saint Anthony Zaccaria was born in Cremona, Italy, in 1502. His father died when he was two. His family was from the nobility. He attended an Episcopal School and studied philosophy at the University of Paviaand then medicine at the University of Padua. He was a doctor for three years. He started studying to be a priest in 1527 and was ordained on February 20, 1529.

Saint Anthony Zaccaria, of noble birth, became spiritual advisor to Countess Ludovica Torelli, and in 1530, he went with her to Milan. There, he became a member of the Oratory of Eternal Wisdom. Their devotions mainly focused on the teachings of St Paul with emphasis on love for the Eucharist and for Christ crucified. It was here that he first focused on the religious well-being of the laity. In 1533, encouraged by Pope Clement VII, he moved into a house and began the communal life.

Saint Anthony Zaccaria promoted the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for the laity. While on mission in 1539, he developed a severe illness, and his health declined, possibly because of the strict penance practices he practiced. He wrote to the “Omodei family,” which spoke of a great “weariness of the body.”

The Death of Saint Anthony Zaccaria

Saint Anthony Zaccaria died on Saturday, July 5, 1539, at the age of 36. He died at home in Cremona. The same bishop who ordained him presided over his funeral. He was buried in the San Paolo Convent. In his last will and testament, he provided for the construction in his parish, Saint Donato, of a chapel in honor of the Conversion of St. Paul.

The suffragan bishop, Luca di Seriate, who had ordained him a priest, presided over his funeral. In attendance were the aristocrats and people of Cremona and the surrounding towns. He was buried in the San Paolo Convent. His will provided for the construction of a chapel in his parish of Saint Donato.

Counter Reformation

Saint Anthony Zaccaria was an important figure in the Counter-Reformation. It was the period of Catholic resurgence, initiated in response to, as an alternative to, or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time.

The Counter-Reformation is said to have ended with the political conclusion of the European wars of religion in 1648. It produced both apologetic and polemical documents, several anti-corruption efforts, significant spiritual movements, the promotion of new religious orders, and the flourishing of several types of new art and musical styles.

One of the important areas of emphasis of the effort was to reach parts of the world that had been colonized as Catholic and to try to reconvert nations such as Sweden and England that once were Catholic but had become Protestant. Ultimately, these efforts were unsuccessful.

Parting Thoughts

Saint Anthony Zaccaria was a major early figure in the Counter-Reformation. He died young, and his early death probably made him a bit of a martyr. There is no question he was pious, and he serves as an example to many of devotion. Though his time as a Priest was brief, it was impactful. Not only was he a key early figure in a major Catholic movement, but his focus on the laity is refreshing.