May 10
St. Antoninus of Florence, Bishop
Obligatory Memorial
Antoninus Pierozzi was born in Florence in 1389. He was received into the Order in 1405 by Blessed John Dominici, who at that time was working for the reform of the convents by order of Blessed Raymond of Capua, “for the future convent of Fiesole.”
After completing his novitiate at Cortona, he attended to his own formation at Fiesole, where a new center of reform was being established in 1406, becoming the first son of that convent. Ordained priest in 1413, he shone by austerity of life, prudence and learning. Beginning in 1418, he continually governed the brothers as prior and promoted the fullness of life at Cortona, Fiesole, Naples and Rome, where he became an auditor of the Rota and a renowned master of canon law.
In 1435, through the generosity of the nobleman Cosimo de’ Medici, the splendid convent of San Marco was built in Florence. Antoninus served as its prior from 1436 to 1444, at the very time when Blessed Angelico was painting divine things there and when, with humanistic studies flourishing beautifully in the convent, the first library in Europe open to all was established in 1443.
Made vicar general of the Observance in Italy in 1437, he took part in the Council of Florence in 1438. Finally, he was appointed Archbishop of Florence in 1446 by Eugene IV, who knew his wisdom; by common praise he was called “Antoninus of counsel.”
Marked by the charism of a good shepherd, he was an excellent archbishop: present with vigilant care, solicitous for the poor, especially the hidden poor, for whom he founded the society of the “Good Men of St. Martin,” anticipating modern forms of social assistance and service. He was so generous that he deprived himself of everything for others. He was a reformer of the clergy, severe but moderate; a pastor, catechist and, above all, preacher.
He wrote many works full of doctrine and charity. His principal work, the Summa moralis, shows him to have been one of the greatest masters of that science.
He died on May 2, 1459. Hadrian VI enrolled him in the catalogue of saints on May 31, 1523.
Proprium Officiorum Ordinis Praedicatorum ad Normam Decretorum Sacrosancti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II Instauratum Vincentii Couesnongle iussu editum, Editio typica, Sanctae Sabinae, Romae 1982.
