Saint Vincent Pallotti
Stored in Cargo: Saint Vincent Pallotti
| Saint Vincent Pallotti | |
| Feast Day | January 22 |
|---|---|
| Liturgical Class | |
| Patronage | Catholic Apostolate, missionaries, poor |
| Birthplace | Rome, Papal States (now Italy) |
| Death Place | Rome, Papal States (now Italy) |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes (pleurisy after exposure) |
| Primary Shrine | Church of San Salvatore in Onda, Rome, Italy |
Saint Vincent Pallotti, born on April 21, 1795, in Rome, was a visionary priest who founded the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines), pioneering the involvement of laity in the Church’s mission. From a noble Roman family, he rejected worldly comforts to serve the poor, establishing schools, guilds, and orphanages amid 19th-century turmoil, including the cholera epidemic of 1837. Ordained in 1818, he earned a theology doctorate and taught at Sapienza University before resigning to focus on pastoral work, earning the nickname “second Saint Philip Neri” for his zeal. His Union of the Catholic Apostolate, launched in 1835, united clergy, religious, and laity to revive faith and charity, a forerunner to Catholic Action. Pallotti died on January 22, 1850, after catching pleurisy while aiding a sick man in the rain, his body later found incorrupt.
Pallotti’s legacy includes his Pallottine communities, which spread globally, and his devotion to the Trinity and Virgin Mary, reflected in his promotion of the Octave of the Epiphany for Christian unity. Beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1950 and canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1963, his feast day, January 22, honors his tireless apostolate. His incorrupt body rests in San Salvatore in Onda, a pilgrimage site, and his Nativity scene graces the Vatican annually, symbolizing his enduring influence on faith and service.
Biography
Birth
Saint Vincent Pallotti was born on April 21, 1795, in Rome, then part of the Papal States, to Pietro Paolo Pallotti and Magdalena De Rossi, the third of ten children. His family, descended from the noble Pallotti of Norcia and De Rossi of Rome, lived near the Piazza Navona, immersing young Vincent in a city rich with faith and culture. From infancy, his devout parents took him to daily Mass, fostering his early piety.
Rome in 1795 was a hub of Catholic tradition amid revolutionary unrest, shaping Pallotti’s future mission. His birth into a supportive, religious household laid the groundwork for his extraordinary spiritual journey.
Early Life
Vincent’s childhood was marked by precocious holiness; at four, he knelt before a Virgin Mary statue, praying to be good, earning him the nickname “Il Santerello” (the Little Saint). Struggling initially with studies, a novena to the Holy Spirit with his mother transformed him into a top student at San Pantaleone and later the Roman College. His charity shone early—he gave away shoes, clothes, and even his bed to the poor, sleeping on the floor to emulate Christ’s poverty.
At 16, he resolved to become a priest, influenced by his confessor, Father Fazzini, who encouraged his ascetic tendencies, including self-scourging. This formative period built the foundation for his lifelong dedication to God and the marginalized.
Occupation
Before priesthood, Vincent assisted his father, a grocer, but his true occupation emerged after ordination on May 16, 1818. He earned a theology doctorate and taught at Sapienza University until 1827, when he resigned to focus on ministry. As a priest, he served as confessor at multiple seminaries, founded trade schools for workers, and established the Pia Casa di Carità for orphaned girls.
His most enduring work was founding the Union of the Catholic Apostolate in 1835, later evolving into the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines), aimed at urban mission and lay involvement. Pallotti’s occupation blended education, pastoral care, and social reform, addressing both spiritual and material needs.
Vocation
Vincent’s vocation crystallized with his ordination and grew through his vision of a universal apostolate. Inspired by Saint Paul’s call to save all, he launched the Union of the Catholic Apostolate on January 9, 1835, uniting diverse groups to renew faith and charity. His ministry during the 1837 cholera epidemic—risking his life to tend the sick—exemplified his calling, as did miracles like healing a dying woman while traveling.
His devotion to the Trinity and Mary fueled his efforts, including promoting the Epiphany Octave for Christian unity. Pallotti’s vocation was to empower all—clergy, religious, and laity—as apostles, a revolutionary idea that shaped modern Catholic mission.
Death
Saint Vincent Pallotti met his end on January 22, 1850, in Rome, dying of pleurisy at age 54 after giving his cloak to a beggar in cold rain and hearing a dying man’s confession. He collapsed at San Salvatore in Onda, surrounded by his Pallottine brothers, and died with a crucifix and Mary’s image in hand. A heavenly scent lingered in his room for a month, astonishing witnesses.
Buried in San Salvatore in Onda, his body was exhumed in 1906 and 1950, found incorrupt, a sign of his holiness. His death closed a life of relentless service, but his mission lived on through the Pallottines and global devotion.
Significant events
- Ordained priest on May 16, 1818.
- Founded the Union of the Catholic Apostolate on January 9, 1835.
- Served the poor during the cholera epidemic of 1837.
- Died on January 22, 1850, with his body later found incorrupt.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Rome, Papal States (now Italy)
Death location: Rome, Papal States (now Italy)
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Parishes
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Canonization
Servant of God
The process to recognize Vincent as a Servant of God began posthumously in Rome, though exact dates are unclear due to pre-Congregation norms. His reputation as a saint in life, noted by contemporaries including Pope Gregory XVI, spurred early investigations.
Venerable
Declared Venerable by Pope Pius XII on April 11, 1932, for his heroic virtue, affirmed by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints after reviewing his life and writings. This step required no miracle, reflecting his evident holiness.
Beatification
Beatified on January 22, 1950, by Pope Pius XII in Vatican City, after the 1948 healing of Maria Colasanti, a Pallottine sister near death from pneumonia, was attributed to Vincent’s intercession following prayers with his relic.
Canonization
Canonized on January 20, 1963, by Pope John XXIII in Vatican City, following a second miracle: the 1954 healing of Giovanni Micio, a boy with purulent peritonitis, after his mother invoked Vincent with a relic. This universal recognition affirmed his global impact.
Miracles
Miracle for beatification
In 1948, Maria Colasanti, a Pallottine sister in Rome, lay dying of pneumonia, beyond medical hope. Her sisters prayed a novena to Vincent, placing his relic on her chest. On the ninth day, she awoke healed, her fever gone, a recovery doctors deemed inexplicable, paving the way for his beatification.
The miracle showcased Vincent’s intercessory power, tied to his life of healing and charity. Approved by the Vatican in 1949, it confirmed his sanctity, aligning with his reputation for aiding the sick during his ministry.
Miracle for canonization
In 1954, Giovanni Micio, a 10-year-old Italian boy, faced death from purulent peritonitis after appendicitis surgery failed. His mother, a Pallottine devotee, placed Vincent’s relic on his abdomen and prayed fervently. Overnight, Giovanni’s fever broke, and he recovered fully, a cure medical experts could not explain, securing Vincent’s canonization.
This second miracle underscored Vincent’s ongoing presence, echoing his earthly acts of mercy. Ratified in 1962, it completed the path to sainthood, affirming his universal call to apostolate.
Other notable miracles
- Healed a dying woman during travel with Rafaele Melia, guided by intuition to her aid. - Cured numerous sick during the 1837 cholera epidemic, often at personal risk.
Patronage
Saint Vincent Pallotti is the patron saint of the Catholic Apostolate, missionaries, and the poor.
Feast day
The feast day of Saint Vincent Pallotti is celebrated on January 22.
Veneration
Saint Vincent is venerated through pilgrimages to San Salvatore in Onda, where his incorrupt body lies, and prayers for missionary zeal and aid to the poor. His Nativity scene graces St. Peter’s Square annually, and he’s depicted with a crucifix and Mary’s image. His cult thrives among Pallottines worldwide, influencing Catholic Action and devotion to the Trinity and Mary.
Books
Written about the saint
- "Apostle of the Infinite: The Life of Saint Vincent Pallotti" by various authors
- "The Life of Saint Vincent Pallotti" by Rafaele Melia
Written by the saint
- Various spiritual writings and letters (not widely published as standalone works)