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]
Go here to read the rest. Miracles began to occur at his grave site immediately after this death and the little parish priest was canonized in 1962.
