PAGNI, ANTONIO, VENERABILE

He first practiced as a legal procurator, then entered the ecclesiastical state. He was parish priest of the hamlet of Pietrabuona, and later canon of the Propositura of his native town. Under the direction of the Lucchese St John Leonardi, founder of the Clerics Regular of the Mother of God, and the Venerable G. B. Cioni, his companion, and together with the pious priest Paolo Ricordati—also a former legal procurator—he founded in Pescia a Congregation of “Reformed Priests” known as of the Most Holy Annunciation, from the name of the church—built by him—where it had its seat. After long negotiations to unite with Leonardi’s foundation, this institution was aggregated to the Barnabites, with whom P. ended his days, nearly seventy years old and as a novice. The processes for his beatification, begun in 1627, were resumed in 1935 under the care of the Barnabites.