Gerolamo Emiliani
Founder of the Order of Somascha;
Patronages
According to Catholic tradition, as recorded in the sources cited for each patronage:
Orphans
- Vatican News: St. Jerome Emiliani, Founder of Somaschi Fathers, Patron of orphans and the Needy Yourth, consulted October 4, 2026
Feast day
- February 8 · General Roman Calendar
- July 20 · Traditional date, Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913
From Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913, “St. Jerome Emiliani”
b. at Venice, 1481;
d. at Somascha, 8 Feb., 1537;
feast, 20 July;
son of Angelo Emiliani (popularly called Miani) and of Eleonore Mauroceni, joined the army, and in 1508 defended Castelnuovo against the League of Cambray.
Taken prisoner and miraculously liberated, he made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Treviso, in fulfillment of a vow.
He was then appointed podestà of Castelnuovo, but after a short time returned to Venice to supervise the education of his nephews.
All his spare time was devoted to the study of theology and to works of charity.
After his ordination to the priesthood in 1518, the hospitals and the hovels of the poor were his favourite resorts.
In the year of plague and famine (1528), he seemed to be everywhere, and showed his zeal especially for the orphans, whose number had so greatly increased.