Giovanni Colombini was a 14th-century Italian merchant from a prominent Sienese family who underwent a profound religious conversion. After being moved by the life of Mary of Egypt, he abandoned his prosperous lifestyle to serve the poor and the sick. He eventually distributed his wealth to establish hospitals and cloisters, leading him to live a life of extreme poverty alongside his companions. He is recognized as the founder of the Congregation of Jesuati, an order dedicated to prayer and charitable works.
Life and conversion
Born in Siena around 1304, Colombini initially held high civic positions, including serving as gonfalonier. Following his spiritual transformation, he dedicated himself to nursing the ill and providing for the needy. After the death of his son and his daughter entering religious life, he divided his assets to fund charitable institutions. Despite facing banishment from Siena for his radical lifestyle, he continued his mission of service across various Tuscan cities.
The Jesuati order
In 1367, Pope Urban V officially sanctioned the foundation of the Jesuati, a group named by locals for their frequent praise of Jesus Christ. The members, also known as the Apostolic Clerics of St. Jerome, wore distinctive white habits and focused on caring for the sick and burying the dead. Although the order was later suppressed in 1668, its members had initially spread rapidly throughout Italy.
Veneration
Colombini died in Abbadia San Salvatore in July 1367, shortly after his new institution received papal approval. He is commemorated as a saint in the Catholic tradition, with his feast day observed on July 31. His name was included in the Roman Martyrology by Pope Gregory XIII.