ODESCALCHI, MARCO ANTONIO ANASTASIO. — Master of the Papal Chamber, b. at Moltrasio in May 1624, d. at Rome on 28 May 1670. Having received Holy Orders at Como, he moved (1554) to Rome with his cousin Cardinal Benedetto Odescalchi, who 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 Tiber Island, which had been set up as a lazar house, and thereafter continued to aid the poor in various ways, even establishing a special hospice later called that of S. Galla. He himself served the poor there, practiced heroic acts of mortification and fruitful priestly ministry, and spent large sums, always with the help of Cardinal Benedetto. He was buried in the choir of S. Maria in Campitelli, at the expense of Cardinal Benedetto, who had an inscription placed on the tomb which may still be read there today.
The cardinal had considered promoting the beatification of O., but, having become pope (1676) under the name of Innocent XI, he refrained from doing so for fear that it might appear a form of nepotism. He nevertheless continued to take great care of the hospice, giving it definitive organization by a bull of 5 April 1686 addressed to his nephew Livio Odescalchi.