ZAGURI, MARCO. - Bishop, born in Venezia in 1738, died in Vicenza on 12 Sept. 1810.
Having completed his studies at Bologna and Padova, he was ordained priest and devoted himself to research in philosophy and sociology, publishing in 1776 a successful volume (which went through several editions), entitled Piano per dar regolato sistema al moderno spirito filosofico. In it, with subtle irony, he introduces an innovator grotesquely extolling Enlightenment and rationalist theories, so as to bring their contradictions and errors to light. The work earned him, from Pio VI, his appointment in 1778 as bishop of Ceneda (now Vittorio Veneto), whence he was later promoted to the see of Vicenza. Bishop during the difficult years of the French invasion, he was a staunch defender of the rights of the Church and worked hard to save supporters of the ancien régime from Jacobin persecutions.
With admirable frankness, truly evangelical, Z. set forth, in a series of learned and courageous homilies (later collected for publication), the antinomies between Catholic teaching and revolutionary postulates, warning his clergy and the faithful against embracing ideologies contrary to religion and morality. Particularly noteworthy are the two homilies for parish priests... sopra il vero carattere della subordinazione e sudditanza (1798).
Renzo U. Montini