STRAMBI, Vincent Maria, Saint. - Passionist, bishop of Macerata and Tolentino, b. at Civitavecchia on 1 Jan. 1745, d. at Rome on 1 Jan. 1824. Having undertaken the ecclesiastical career, he studied in the seminary of Montefiascone, at Rome in the Calasanzio College, at Viterbo with the Dominicans of Gradi, and again at Rome in the Dominican convent of S. Sabina. Ordained priest in 1767 at Bagnoregio, where he was already rector of the seminary, the following year he was received among the Passionists by the holy Founder Paul of the Cross (v.).
He distinguished himself there by choice virtues, by theological teaching contrary to the Jansenist and Gallican currents of the time, by the high offices he held, by the preaching of Missions and spiritual Exercises, being regarded as one of the best orators of his time. His favorite authors were St. John Chrysostom, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Alphonsus M. de' Liguori. Promoted by Pius VII in 1801 bishop of Macerata and Tolentino, he took St. Charles Borromeo as his model; he revived in the clergy the commitment to virtue, to study and pastoral care; he enlarged the two seminaries and made studies and discipline flourish again in them; he spurred religious to perfection; he founded asylums for orphans and the aged; he took solicitous care of the sick and of prisoners; he succored the poor with inexhaustible generosity, going so far as to sell his furnishings, his clothes and even the sacred vessels. For himself the strictest poverty and the hardships of penance. Tireless in preaching and in the pastoral ministry, he devoted more hours of the day and night to prayer, favored by God also with supernatural gifts. In 1808, refusing with firmness to take the oath of fidelity imposed by Napoleon I and condemned by the pope, he was taken to Novara and then to Milan. Even in exile he endeavored to assist his dioceses with letters and to exercise a fruitful apostolate. Having returned in 1814, he zealously resumed his pastoral cares. In 1815 he preserved Macerata from the devastations of the warring troops of Joachim Murat and of the Austrians. Weakened by years and labors, he sought several times to be relieved of the government of the two dioceses and finally obtained it, in October 1823, from Leo XII, who wished to have him at Rome as his counselor in the apostolic palace of the Quirinal. But at the end of Dec., in order to preserve the life of the gravely ill pope, he offered his life to God and was heard, dying a few days later.
As a spiritual director, V. guided many souls to perfection, among them the b. Anna M. Taigi, the ven. M. Luisa Maurizi, Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia and his consort the ven. M. Adelaide Clotilde.
As a writer, he was the first esteemed biographer of St. Paul of the Cross, whose cause of beatification he also promoted as postulator; he brought to light the work in 3 vols. Dei tesori che abbiamo in Gesù Cristo (1805) and various spiritual opuscules, written especially during his exile; he is also the author, together with Msgr. G.
Bonanni, of the very widely circulated booklet: Il mese di luglio consacrato al Preziosissimo Sangue di G. C.
He was beatified by Pius XI in 1925 and canonized by Pius XII in 1950; his body is in the basilica of Sts. John and Paul in Rome. Feast on 1 January.
Bibliography4 works
Giacinto del S.mo Crocifisso
