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Blessed Antonio della Chiesa O.P.
Religious
Born	1394 San Germano Vercellese
Died	22 January 1459 (aged 64)
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	15 May 1819,Saint Peter's Basilica,Papal States byPope Pius VII
Majorshrine	San Germano Vercellese
Feast	22 January
Attributes	Dominican habit
Patronage	Missionaries

Antonio della Chiesa, OP (1394 - 22 January 1459) was anItalian Catholic priest and member of theDominican Order. He served as a Dominican superior and was a companion ofBernardino of Siena.

Della Chiesa was beatified byPope Pius VII in 1819.

Della Chiesa was born in 1394 as the son of the Marquis della Chiesa inSan Germano Vercellese. He was well-educated due to being a noble and demonstrated a keen taste for the religious life. He devoted himself to the service ofGod and grew up with the hopes of joining the clergy. His father opposed this desire, which later led to his son breaking off all links to his parents.^[1][2]

Della Chiesa became a member of theOrder of Preachers inVercelli at the age of 22 and soon gained recognition as an apt preacher and confessor. He accompanied Saint Bernardine of Siena on a range of missions and served in various capacities in the Dominicanpriories. Among those positions was that of the prior and he served at the priory ofComo andFlorence as well as inSavona andBologna. In Como, he reformed the life and morals of the town and was sent to govern other friaries following this success. It was at those friaries that he insisted on a rigorous observance of theRule of St Augustine and the pattern of conventual life laid down bySaint Dominic.

Della Chiesa was also one of the leaders opposing the last of theantipopes:Felix V who troubled the Roman Catholic Church from 1440 until 1449. Felix V had a large support network stemming fromSwitzerland and della Chiesa opposed the work of the antipope. He succeeded in winning over a large number of the antipope's adherents to the lawful power of the recognised Pontiff,Pope Eugene IV and laterPope Nicholas V.

While on a trip fromSavona toGenoa, he was captured bypirates but he was released unharmed. He had been apprehended with a fellow friar and the pirates released the pair after being so impressed with their demeanor. He was a knownmiracle worker and was said to be able to read the consciences of men and women alike.

Della Chiesa died in 1459 and was able to predict the date of his death. His relics were translated on 28 July 1810 to his birthplace.Pope Pius VII affirmed his cultus and beatified him on 15 May 1819, while setting hisliturgical feast for 28 July, the date of the translation of his relics.

Antonio della Chiesa is an ancestor of Giacomo della Chiesa - the futurePope Benedict XV (1854-1922) who reigned duringWorld War I over four centuries after Antonio's own life.

Procter, Lives of the Dominican Saints, pp. 210-213. (See further V. Pellazza, Elogio storico del B. Antonio (1863) Taurisano, Catalogus Hagiographicus O.P., p. 40; and L. Ferretti, Vita del B. Antonio (1919))

• 1394 births
• 1459 deaths
• 15th-century venerated Christians
• 15th-century Genoese people
• Dominican beatified people
• Members of the Dominican Order
• Italian Dominicans
• Italian beatified people
• Clergy from Genoa
• Miracle workers

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