Saintly Artemide Zatti a Nurse who Tirelessly Helped the Sick - Bio of the Newly Approved for Canonization and the Miraculous Healing through his Intercession
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One of 2 Blesseds approved for Canonization on August 27th, 2022, at the Vatican consistory. They will be canonized on October 9th, 2022 (also Bl. Giovanni Battista Scalabrini). His feast day is November 13th.
Artemide Zatti was born in Boretto (Reggio Emilia) on 12 October 1880. It was not long in experiencing the hardness of sacrifice, so much so that at the age of nine he was already earning a day as a laborer. Forced by poverty, the Zatti family, at the beginning of 1897, emigrated to Argentina and settled in Bahìa Blanca. The young Artemide immediately began to frequent the parish run by the Salesians, finding in the parish priest Don Carlo Cavalli, a pious man of extraordinary goodness, his spiritual director. It was these who directed him towards Salesian life. He was 20 when he went to Bernal's aspirantate.
Assisting a young priest with TB, he contracted the disease. The paternal interest of Don Cavalli - who followed him from afar - led to the choice for him of the Salesian House in Viedma where there was a more suitable climate and above all a missionary hospital with a good Salesian nurse who practically served as « doctor »: Father Evasio Garrone. He invited Artemis to pray to Mary Help of Christians for healing, suggesting that he make a promise: "If she heals you, you will dedicate yourself all your life to these sick people". Artemis gladly made that promise and mysteriously healed. He will then say: «I believed, I promised, I healed». Her path was now clearly traced and he took it with enthusiasm. He accepted with humility and docility the no small suffering of renouncing the priesthood. He made his first profession as a lay confrere on 11 January 1908 and the Perpetual one on 8 February 1911. Consistent with the promise made to Our Lady, he immediately and totally consecrated himself to the hospital, initially taking care of the adjoining pharmacy, but then when Father Garrone died in 1913, all the responsibility for the hospital fell on his shoulders. In fact, he became deputy director, administrator, expert nurse esteemed by all the sick and by the health workers themselves who gradually left him more and more freedom of action. but then when Father Garrone died in 1913, all the responsibility of the hospital fell on his shoulders. In fact, he became deputy director, administrator, expert nurse esteemed by all the sick and by the health workers themselves who gradually left him more and more freedom of action. but then when Father Garrone died in 1913, all the responsibility of the hospital fell on his shoulders. In fact, he became deputy director, administrator, expert nurse esteemed by all the sick and by the health workers themselves who gradually left him more and more freedom of action.
His service was not limited to the hospital but extended to the whole city rather to the two locations located on the banks of the Negro river: Viedma and Patagones. In case of need he moved at any hour of the day or night, in any weather, reaching the hovels of the suburbs and doing everything for free. His fame as a holy nurse spread throughout the South and he was sick from all over Patagonia. It was not uncommon for the sick who preferred the visit of the holy nurse to that of the doctors.
Artemide Zatti loved her patients in a truly moving way. He saw Jesus himself in them, to such an extent that when he asked the nuns for a dress for a new boy, he said: "Sister, do you have a dress for a 12-year-old Jesus?". The attention to his sick was such that it reached delicate shades. There are those who remember seeing him carry the body of a patient who died during the night on his back to the mortuary, to remove it from the sight of the other sick: and he did it by reciting the De profundis. Faithful to the Salesian spirit and to the motto bequeathed by Don Bosco to his children - "work and temperance" - he carried out a prodigious activity with habitual readiness of mind, with heroic spirit of sacrifice, with absolute detachment from all personal satisfaction, without ever taking holidays and rest. Some have said that the only five days of rest were those spent ... in prison! Yes, he also became acquainted with prison due to the escape of a prisoner admitted to the hospital, an escape that was attributed to him. He was released acquitted and his return home was a triumph.
He was a man of easy human relationship, with a visible charge of sympathy, happy to be able to entertain with humble people. But he was above all a man of God. He radiated Him. A rather incredulous hospital doctor will say: «When I saw Mr. Zatti my incredulity wavered». And another: «I have believed in God since I have known Mr. Zatti».
In 1950 the tireless nurse fell from a ladder and it was on that occasion that the symptoms of a cancer manifested which he himself lucidly diagnosed. However, he continued to attend to his mission for another year, until after heroically accepted sufferings, he died on March 15, 1951 in full consciousness, surrounded by the affection and gratitude of an entire population.
Assisting a young priest with TB, he contracted the disease. The paternal interest of Don Cavalli - who followed him from afar - led to the choice for him of the Salesian House in Viedma where there was a more suitable climate and above all a missionary hospital with a good Salesian nurse who practically served as « doctor »: Father Evasio Garrone. He invited Artemis to pray to Mary Help of Christians for healing, suggesting that he make a promise: "If she heals you, you will dedicate yourself all your life to these sick people". Artemis gladly made that promise and mysteriously healed. He will then say: «I believed, I promised, I healed». Her path was now clearly traced and he took it with enthusiasm. He accepted with humility and docility the no small suffering of renouncing the priesthood. He made his first profession as a lay confrere on 11 January 1908 and the Perpetual one on 8 February 1911. Consistent with the promise made to Our Lady, he immediately and totally consecrated himself to the hospital, initially taking care of the adjoining pharmacy, but then when Father Garrone died in 1913, all the responsibility for the hospital fell on his shoulders. In fact, he became deputy director, administrator, expert nurse esteemed by all the sick and by the health workers themselves who gradually left him more and more freedom of action. but then when Father Garrone died in 1913, all the responsibility of the hospital fell on his shoulders. In fact, he became deputy director, administrator, expert nurse esteemed by all the sick and by the health workers themselves who gradually left him more and more freedom of action. but then when Father Garrone died in 1913, all the responsibility of the hospital fell on his shoulders. In fact, he became deputy director, administrator, expert nurse esteemed by all the sick and by the health workers themselves who gradually left him more and more freedom of action.
His service was not limited to the hospital but extended to the whole city rather to the two locations located on the banks of the Negro river: Viedma and Patagones. In case of need he moved at any hour of the day or night, in any weather, reaching the hovels of the suburbs and doing everything for free. His fame as a holy nurse spread throughout the South and he was sick from all over Patagonia. It was not uncommon for the sick who preferred the visit of the holy nurse to that of the doctors.
Artemide Zatti loved her patients in a truly moving way. He saw Jesus himself in them, to such an extent that when he asked the nuns for a dress for a new boy, he said: "Sister, do you have a dress for a 12-year-old Jesus?". The attention to his sick was such that it reached delicate shades. There are those who remember seeing him carry the body of a patient who died during the night on his back to the mortuary, to remove it from the sight of the other sick: and he did it by reciting the De profundis. Faithful to the Salesian spirit and to the motto bequeathed by Don Bosco to his children - "work and temperance" - he carried out a prodigious activity with habitual readiness of mind, with heroic spirit of sacrifice, with absolute detachment from all personal satisfaction, without ever taking holidays and rest. Some have said that the only five days of rest were those spent ... in prison! Yes, he also became acquainted with prison due to the escape of a prisoner admitted to the hospital, an escape that was attributed to him. He was released acquitted and his return home was a triumph.
He was a man of easy human relationship, with a visible charge of sympathy, happy to be able to entertain with humble people. But he was above all a man of God. He radiated Him. A rather incredulous hospital doctor will say: «When I saw Mr. Zatti my incredulity wavered». And another: «I have believed in God since I have known Mr. Zatti».
In 1950 the tireless nurse fell from a ladder and it was on that occasion that the symptoms of a cancer manifested which he himself lucidly diagnosed. However, he continued to attend to his mission for another year, until after heroically accepted sufferings, he died on March 15, 1951 in full consciousness, surrounded by the affection and gratitude of an entire population.
APPROVED MIRACLE
For the canonization of Artemide Zatti, the Postulation of the Cause presented for the examination of the Congregation the alleged miraculous event, attributed to his intercession, concerning the healing of a man from "right cerebellar ischemic stroke, complicated by massive hemorrhagic lesion". The event took place on August 24, 2016 in Tanauan Batangas (Lipa, Philippines). On 11 August 2016, the man complained of dizziness, retching, difficulty walking. He was transported to the emergency room of the "Daniel Mercado Medical Center" in Tanunan City, where he was hospitalized in serious condition. Clinical examinations revealed right cerebellar ischemic stroke, complicated by a large hemorrhagic lesion. On August 13, 2016, the patient's condition worsened. Transferred to ICU, doctors recommended surgery, but the operation was refused by family members who could not afford it. On 21 August 2016, the relatives, against the advice of the doctors, decided to bring the patient home, so that he could spend the last days of his life with his family. On 22 August 2016, the patient received the Anointing of the Sick while the family members awaited the imminent end. Suddenly and unexpectedly, on the morning of August 24, 2016, the man removed the nasogastric tube with which he was fed and the oxygen that helped him breathe, then called the relatives saying that he wanted to eat. In the following days he resumed normal life. so that he could spend the last days of his life with his family. On 22 August 2016, the patient received the Anointing of the Sick while the family members awaited the imminent end. Suddenly and unexpectedly, on the morning of August 24, 2016, the man removed the nasogastric tube with which he was fed and the oxygen that helped him breathe, then called the relatives saying that he wanted to eat. In the following days he resumed normal life. so that he could spend the last days of his life with his family. On 22 August 2016, the patient received the Anointing of the Sick while the family members awaited the imminent end. Suddenly and unexpectedly, on the morning of August 24, 2016, the man removed the nasogastric tube with which he was fed and the oxygen that helped him breathe, then called the relatives saying that he wanted to eat. In the following days he resumed normal life.
The main architect of the invocation to Blessed Artemide Zatti was the brother of the healed, a Salesian brother in Rome who, on the same day as he was admitted to the hospital, began to invoke Blessed Artemide Zatti to intercede for the healing of his brother. The prayers began before the unexpected favorable change in the clinical course that led to the rapid recovery of the man, with almost immediate and complete functional recovery. There is a causal link between the intercession of Blessed Artemide Zatti and the recovery of the alleged healed.
For the canonization of Artemide Zatti, the Postulation of the Cause presented for the examination of the Congregation the alleged miraculous event, attributed to his intercession, concerning the healing of a man from "right cerebellar ischemic stroke, complicated by massive hemorrhagic lesion". The event took place on August 24, 2016 in Tanauan Batangas (Lipa, Philippines). On 11 August 2016, the man complained of dizziness, retching, difficulty walking. He was transported to the emergency room of the "Daniel Mercado Medical Center" in Tanunan City, where he was hospitalized in serious condition. Clinical examinations revealed right cerebellar ischemic stroke, complicated by a large hemorrhagic lesion. On August 13, 2016, the patient's condition worsened. Transferred to ICU, doctors recommended surgery, but the operation was refused by family members who could not afford it. On 21 August 2016, the relatives, against the advice of the doctors, decided to bring the patient home, so that he could spend the last days of his life with his family. On 22 August 2016, the patient received the Anointing of the Sick while the family members awaited the imminent end. Suddenly and unexpectedly, on the morning of August 24, 2016, the man removed the nasogastric tube with which he was fed and the oxygen that helped him breathe, then called the relatives saying that he wanted to eat. In the following days he resumed normal life. so that he could spend the last days of his life with his family. On 22 August 2016, the patient received the Anointing of the Sick while the family members awaited the imminent end. Suddenly and unexpectedly, on the morning of August 24, 2016, the man removed the nasogastric tube with which he was fed and the oxygen that helped him breathe, then called the relatives saying that he wanted to eat. In the following days he resumed normal life. so that he could spend the last days of his life with his family. On 22 August 2016, the patient received the Anointing of the Sick while the family members awaited the imminent end. Suddenly and unexpectedly, on the morning of August 24, 2016, the man removed the nasogastric tube with which he was fed and the oxygen that helped him breathe, then called the relatives saying that he wanted to eat. In the following days he resumed normal life.
The main architect of the invocation to Blessed Artemide Zatti was the brother of the healed, a Salesian brother in Rome who, on the same day as he was admitted to the hospital, began to invoke Blessed Artemide Zatti to intercede for the healing of his brother. The prayers began before the unexpected favorable change in the clinical course that led to the rapid recovery of the man, with almost immediate and complete functional recovery. There is a causal link between the intercession of Blessed Artemide Zatti and the recovery of the alleged healed.
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