MOSCATI, GIUSEPPE MARIO CAROLO ALPHONSE, ST.

Lay physician; b. Benevento, Italy, July 25, 1880; d. Naples, Italy, April 12, 1927. Giuseppe Moscati was seventh of the nine children of Francesco Moscati (d. Dec. 21, 1897), a magistrate, and his wife Rosa (d. Nov. 25, 1914). The family moved to Naples when his father was appointed (1884) president of the court. Following his graduation from secondary school with honors (1897), Giuseppe studied medicine at the University of Naples. He earned his degree with first-class honors (Aug. 14, 1903) by his thesis on hepatic urogenesis.

At age twenty-three Giuseppe began his career at the Santa Maria del Populo Hospital for the Incurables in Naples. When Vesuvius erupted (April 1906), Moscati rushed to the hospital at Torre del Greco to help evacuate patients before the roof collapsed. Similarly, in 1911, he assisted in containing a cholera outbreak. That same year he finished his scientific preparation, passed the medical boards, was appointed to a university chair in biochemistry, and began lecturing on applied research and clinical research, as well as clinical medicine. He became known as one of the most outstanding researchers in his field.

In addition to his educational and scientific contributions, Giuseppe was a practicing physician and an administrator. In the course of time he was appointed director of military hospitals during World War I with the rank of major (1915), director of the Hospital for Incurables (July 16, 1919), coadjutor ordinary, medical director of the United Hospitals, director of the department of tuberculosis, and associate of the Royal Academy of Surgery.

Giuseppe Moscati is honored by the Church for the manner in which he practiced medicine. He required no payment from the poor, the homeless, religious, or priests, and, in fact, paid for their prescriptions himself. He used his time with patients to speak to them about the faith, often healing wounded souls as well as bodies. Moscati dedicated himself to the sacraments and prayer for his patients. He died peacefully of a stroke at age forty-seven. Three years later, his relics were translated to the church of Gesù Nuovo.

Moscati was declared venerable in 1973, beatified by Paul VI in 1975, and canonized by John Paul II, Oct. 25, 1987. Patron of bachelors.

Feast: Nov. 16.

Bibliography: Acta Apostolicae Sedis (1976): 259–62. Giuseppe Moscati nel ricordo dei suoi contemporanei (Naples 1967). L'Osservatore Romano, Eng. Ed. 48 (1975): 5–7; 45 (1987): 10,12. a. marranzini, Giuseppe Moscati, modello del laico cristiano di oggi (Rome 1989). f. d'onofrio, Joseph Moscati as Seen by a Medical Doctor (Messina 1991). g. papÁsogli, Giuseppe Moscati: vita di un medico santo (2nd ed. Rome 1975). d. parrella, St. Joseph Moscati: The Holy Doctor of Naples (Naples 1987). a. tripodoro, Preghiere in onore di S. Giuseppe Moscati (3rd ed., Naples 1994); Giuseppe Moscati, il medico santo di Napoli (2nd ed., Naples 1999).

[k. i. rabenstein]