Marco da Montegallo was a 15th-century Italian physician and Franciscan friar born in Montegallo. After practicing medicine in Ascoli Piceno, he entered the religious life following the annulment of a marriage he had entered under parental pressure. He became a prominent preacher and a dedicated servant to the impoverished, eventually establishing charitable institutions to provide financial relief to those in need. He died in Vicenza in 1496 after falling ill during a period of Lenten fasting.
Life and work
A highly educated man, Marco earned doctorates in both medicine and law. He is most remembered for his role in founding the Monti di Pietà, a network of charitable pawnshops designed to assist the poor. He also established a credit institution in Vicenza. As a preacher, he traveled through Italian cities, publishing works in Florence and Siena. During a plague in Camerino, his calls for repentance were credited with helping to end the epidemic.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognizes him as blessed. Following a period of enduring local devotion, Pope Gregory XVI ratified his cultus in 1839. Although he passed away on 19 March, his feast day is observed on 20 March to avoid a conflict with the feast of Saint Joseph. His remains are kept in the church of San Giuliano in Vicenza.