February 08 — Born in 1481 in Veneto, Jerome Emiliani died in Somasque, Lombardy on February 08, 1537. Born into the nobility, belligerent, he served in the army of Veneto and led a dissolute life.

After a military career, he was taken prisoner in Castelnuovo and during his captivity, he received the revelation of his religious vocation through a vision of the Virgin Mary. He decided to abandon his past life and dedicate himself to religious works. Ordained a priest in 1518, he dedicated himself to charitable works, especially to the poor, the sick and orphans.

For this purpose he formed a congregation, the Association of the "Clerics Regular of Somasque" or "Company of the Servants of the Poor" (or the "Somasques" for short), based in Somasca, near Lecco, Lombardy (1532), which Paul III Farnese approved in 1540.

In 1568 the Company of the Servants of the Poor was raised by Saint Pius V as the Order of the Clerics Regular of Somasque, or "Somascos Fathers". Jerome Emilian died caring for the plague-stricken people of Somasca on February 8, 1537.

He was responsible for the widespread use of the catechism in the form of questions and answers. At present, the Somasques have about 400 members and work especially in youth ministry in the parishes and especially in orphanages. In 1747 Pope Benedict XV raised Jerome Emiliani to the rank of Blessed and Pope Clement III canonized him in 1767.