Blessed Artemide Zatti

Artemide Zatti (12 October 1880 – 15 March 1951) was an Italian Roman Catholic professed religious of the Salesians of Don Bosco and a noted pharmacist who emigrated to Argentina in 1897. Zatti became a professed Salesian in 1911 and became well known for his ardent faith and commitment to the sick. He was made a Saint on 9 October 2022 in the Catholic Church. His nephew was the eighth rector of the Salesians – Juan Edmundo Vecchi. Zatti was beatified on 14 April 2002. On 9 April 2022, Pope Francis approved a second miracle attributed to Zatti. This paved the way for Zatti's canonization on 9 October 2022. Artemide Zatti was born in Reggio Emilia on 12 October 1880 as one of three sons of Luigi Zatti and Albina Vecchi. He had seven siblings: three brothers and four sisters. Zatti was baptized in 1880. Zatti dropped out of school in 1889 due to the poverty of his parents and he commenced work for a rich neighbor. Zatti's parents believed the current economic climate was not appropriate and that their fortunes were too low. They decided to move elsewhere and arrived in Argentina at a port in Buenos Aires on 9 February 1897, settling in Bahía Blanca. An uncle of his lived in Argentina prior to their arrival. He worked in a hotel and also in a brick factory. He met the priest Carlos Cavalli around this time who encouraged him to become a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco; he entered on 19 April 1900 to commence his novitiate as a secular member. He made his first profession on 11 January 1908. He made his solemn profession as a secular member on 11 February 1911. Zatti contracted tuberculosis in 1901 as he tended to the priest Ernesto Giuliani – in Casa di Bernal – who had the disease and died of it on 4 January 1902; he looked after Giuliani since 1900. Sometime in 1902 he also cared for Ceferino Namuncurá. Zatti's ailment saw him move for recuperation to Viedma where he recovered after turning to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.