MINISTERS OF THE SICK (Camillians, Camillini, Crucifers). - Regular clerics founded by St. Camillus de Lellis (v.) in 1586. They wear the clerical habit of the other regular clerics, from whom they are distinguished by a red cloth cross on the breast. They consecrate themselves, by a fourth solemn vow, to the spiritual and corporal care of the sick, even if contagious. They carry out this apostolate in public hospitals and sanatoria, in private homes, in clinics and outpatient departments of their own, in every part of Europe, of America and in mission lands, with particular attention to lepers.
The history of the M. of the s., in Italy especially, coincides, between the 17th and 19th centuries, with that of the epidemics of plague, cholera, smallpox and with the wars that have afflicted the Peninsula. In the epidemics, especially those of 1630 and 1656, the M. of the s. nearly remained decimated, so great was the number of victims. Likewise in the 19th century with the care of cholera patients. In war, beginning with the expedition of the pontifical army into Hungary against the Turks in 1595, the M. of the s., trained by the founder himself, organized the first aid to the wounded on the battlefields and in the immediate rear areas. Even more laborious was their daily work of apostolate in civil hospitals and in private homes, both for spiritual and corporal care, inspired by the most enlightened charity.
The M. of the s., in their three and a half centuries of life, have had an always modest development. Throughout the first century (1586-1685) and until well beyond the middle of the second (c. 1760) the Order remained constantly at an average of five hundred professed members, despite the frequent decimations of the plague. From the French Revolution, and the consequent religious suppressions in the various States, their number gradually declined, down to two hundred professed members, then to recover rapidly at the end of the last century and reach (in 1949) one thousand and thirty professed members, besides seven hundred and more aspirants and novices, with 90 houses and 125 residences.
The works of the M. of the s. have also multiplied, with spiritual care in 146 civil hospitals, sanatoria, leprosaria, preventoria, and in 47 clinics, sanatoria and hospitals of their own. The sick cared for by them, in 1949, numbered 800 thousand. In the faithful and generous practice of charity a good number of the M. of the s. have reached the summit of holiness. Although so far it has obtained the honor of the altars only for the founder, not a few others have made themselves worthy of it, and the cause of their beatification is in progress. Moreover, more than three hundred M. of the s. have with heroic charity sacrificed their own lives caring for the sick of plague, cholera, smallpox, and the wounded on the battlefields. In the field of care the M. of the s. make a notable contribution to the treatment of plague victims, cholera patients and lepers, on the basis of their own experience: in the social field with the organic development of hygienic-sanitary works for the different classes of the sick in surgical and medical clinics, seaside colonies, preventoria and outpatient clinics; finally in the moral-spiritual field with nursing, professional, cultural and religious-ascetic assistance associations and organizations. They consequently have a rich literature, ancient and modern, on the technical, religious and moral problems of caring for the sick; a periodical press, in various languages, for the culture and the technical-moral-religious formation of nurses, and for the comfort of the sick.
In each branch and in the individual activities the M. degli i. have had religious of clear renown and are in the forefront in the solution of assistance and charitable problems.
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Mario Vanti