Gerolamo Emiliani
Giandomenico Tiepolo | |
---|---|
Born | 1486 Venice |
Died | 8 February 1537 (aged 50–51) Somasca |
Venerated in | Catholic Church |
Beatified | 23 April 1747 by Pope Benedict XIV |
Canonized | 16 July 1767 by Pope Clement XIII |
Major shrine | St. Girolamo Emiliani Sanctuary, Somasca |
Feast | 8 February 20 July (General Roman Calendar, 1769–1969) |
Patronage | orphans and abandoned children |
Gerolamo Emiliani, CRS (Italian: Gerolamo Emiliani also Jerome Aemilian, Hiëronymus Emiliani) (1486 – 8 February 1537) was an Italian humanitarian, founder of the Somaschi Fathers, and is considered a saint by the Catholic Church.
Born in Venice, he spent some time in the military, and later served as a magistrate. Emiliani provided for the sick, the hungry, and orphans; and persuaded others to do likewise. Through his good offices a number of hospitals and orphanages were established in several northern Italian towns. He was canonized in 1767 and is the patron saint of orphans.[1]
Biography
Jerome was born in
He was then appointed
Congregation of Regular Clerics
Two priests, Alessandro Besuzio and Agostino Bariso, then joined him in his labors of charity, and in 1532 Gerolamo founded a religious society, the Congregation of Regular Clerics.[4] The motherhouse was at Somasca, a secluded northern Italian hamlet in the comune of Vercurago between Milan and Bergamo, after which the members became known as Somaschi. In the rule of this congregation, Gerolamo stated the principal work of the community was the care of orphans, poor and sick, and demanded that dwellings, food and clothing would bear the mark of religious poverty.[1] Devoted to the guardian angels, Emiliani entrusted the congregation to the protection of the Virgin, the Holy Spirit and the Archangel Raphael.[6]
The congregation was approved in 1540 by Pope Paul III with the official name "Clerici Regulares S. Majoli Papiae Congregationis Somaschae", and spread throughout Italy.[4]
During an epidemic, Jerome was assisting the sick when he contracted the plague. He died in Somasca, 8 February 1537.[7]
Veneration
He was
The St. Gerolamo Emiliani Sanctuary is located in Somasca, Vercurago where a seventeenth century silver shrine contains his remains.[9]
Patronage
In 1928, Pope Pius XI named him the patron of orphans and abandoned children.[3]
See also
- Martinitt, Milan orphanage founded by Emiliani
- Saint Gerolamo Emiliani, patron saint archive
References
- ^ a b "St. Jerome Emiliani". Catholic Encyclopedia.
- ^ "Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney – Events". sydneycatholic.org. 28 September 2023.
- ^ a b c Foley O.F.M., Leonard. "St. Jerome Emiliani", Saint of the Day, Lives, Lessons, and Feast, Franciscan Media
- ^ a b c Guerin, Paul. Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints,(Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 8
- ^ "Message to the Order of Clerics Regular of Somasca on the 500th anniversary of the prodigious liberation of their founder St. Jerome Emiliani (July 20, 2011) | BENEDICT XVI".
- ^ "Google Traduttore". google.com.
- ^ "St. Jerome Emiliani: A Different Kind of Saint", Somascan Fathers and Brothers Archived 6 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vatican), pages 87 and 130
- ^ St. Girolamo Emiliani Sanctuary
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Jerome Emiliani". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.