Saint Anthony Maria Pucci

Saint Anthony Maria Pucci (Eustace Pucci) was born on April 16, 1819, as the second of seven children, into a poor sacristan’s family. From childhood he felt the call to religious life, but his father was opposed to it, despite his own career as a church worker. Overcoming this opposition later allowed him to enter the Servite Order in 1837 (in the Santissima Annunziata), when he was given the religious name “Antonio Maria”. He was ordained a priest in 1843, after having made his profession in the order a few months earlier.

In 1843 he was assigned to serve in Viareggio at the parish church of Sant’Andrea, and was later appointed its pastor in 1846. He continued to hold this position for four decades until his death. He became known as il Curatino (the Little Parish Priest) and cared for the poor and the sick as well as the elderly; this was increased during two epidemics. In 1853 he founded an institution for the education of children and started the first beach hostel for sick and poor children in Viareggio. He also helped found the Society of Holy Childhood in 1853 for educational purposes.

Pucci died on January 12, 1892 due to pneumonia. He celebrated Mass on January 6, and that night he went in a storm to provide assistance to a sick person, when he contracted pneumonia and worsened until his death. His remains were later transferred to the church of Sant’Andrea on April 18, 1920.

He was proclaimed Servant of God on April 13, 1932 by Pope Pius XI, with the introduction of his beatification process, and was later declared Venerable on January 18, 1948, after confirmation of his life of heroic virtue. Pope Pius XII beatified him on June 12, 1952, while Pope John XXIII canonized him on December 9, 1962.