ODESCALCHI, MARCO ANTONIO ANASTASIO. - Master of the Chamber, born at Moltrasio in May 1624, died at Rome on 28 May 1670. Having received Holy Orders at Como, he moved (1554) to Rome with his distant cousin Card. Benedetto Odescalchi, who had resigned the bishopric of Novara, and remained with him until his death as Master of the Chamber.
During the plague of 1656-57 in Rome, O. went to assist the plague-stricken on the Tiber Island, which had been designated as a lazaretto; thereafter he continued to help the poor in various ways, eventually founding a special hospice later known as that of S. Galla. He himself served the poor there, practised heroic mortifications and fruitful priestly ministries, and spent considerable sums upon it, always aided by Card. Benedetto. He was buried in the choir of S. Maria in Campitelli, at the expense of Card. Benedetto, who had the inscription still to be read there placed on the tomb.
The cardinal had considered promoting O.’s beatification; but, having become pope (1676) under the name Innocenzo XI, he refrained for fear that this might seem a form of nepotism. He nevertheless continued to take great care of the hospice, to which he gave a definitive organization by a bull of 5 Apr. 1686 addressed to his nephew Livio Odescalchi.