Antonio Maria Pucci

Antonio Maria Pucci (16 April 1819 - 12 January 1892) - born Eustachio Pucci - was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and a professed member from the Servite Order.^[1]

Saint Antonio Maria Pucci OSM
Born	(1819-04-16)16 April 1819 Vernio, Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Died	12 January 1892(1892-01-12) (aged 72) Viareggio, Lucca, Kingdom of Italy
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	22 June 1952, Saint Peter's Basilica by Pope Pius XII
Canonized	9 December 1962, Saint Peter's Basilica by Pope John XXIII
Feast	12 January

He was beatified on 12 June 1952 under Pope Pius XII and was later made a saint on 9 December 1962^[2] at the conclusion of the first session of the Second Vatican Council.^[3]

Life

Eustace Pucci was born on 16 April 1819 to a poor sacristan as the second of seven children.^[4]

He felt called to life in a religious order in his childhood but his father opposed this despite his own service as a Church worker. Overcoming this opposition later allowed Eustace to enter the Servite Order in 1837 (at Santissima Annunziata) at which time he was given the religious name of "Antonio Maria". He was ordained to the priesthood in 1843 after having made his profession into the order a few months prior.^[3][1]

In 1843 he was assigned to serve in Viareggio at the parish church of Sant'Andrea and in 1846 was made its pastor. He went on to serve in the post for the next four decades until his death. He became known as il Curatino (the Little Parish Priest). He took geart care of the poor and the sick as well as the elderly. His labors were intensified by his response to two epidemics.^[1][3] In 1853 he founded a school for the education of children and in the same year found the Holy Childhood Society for educational purposes. He also took the initiative in founding the first seaside hostel for sick and poor children in Viareggio.

On 6 January 1892 he celebrated Mass in the parish for the feast of the Epiphany and that night went out during a storm to render assistance to a sick person. This led to him contracting pneumonia, Over the next days his condition worsened and on 12 January 1892 he died.^[3] He was buried locally. On 18 April 1920 his remains were relocated inside the church of Sant'Andrea.^[5]

Sainthood

Stained glass window of Saint Antonio Maria Pucci in Viareggio

He was proclaimed a Servant of God on 13 April 1932 under Pope Pius XI with the introduction of his sainthood cause and he was later made Venerable on 18 January 1948 upon the confirmation of his life of heroic virtue. Pope Pius XII beatified him on 22 June 1952 while Pope John XXIII canonized him on 9 December 1962.^[6]