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One of three sons born to Albino Vecchi and Luigi Zatti. His was a poor
family, and the boy had to drop out of school at age nine to work for a
wealthy neighbor. The family eventually immigrated to Bahia Blanca,
Argentina to find work, arriving in Buenos Aires on 9 February 1897. There
Artemide worked in a tile factory, and attended a local parochial school
run by the Salesians. He felt drawn to the Salesians, and at age 20
entered their seminary, Casa di Bernal.
Artemide contracted tuberculosis while caring for a young Salesian priest
with the disease, a man who died from it in 1902. He was sent to San Josè
Hospital for what little treatment there was in that day, but with little
hope. With his friend and unofficial doctor, Father Evarisio Garrone,
Artemide prayed for the intervention of Our Lady, Help of Christians,
offering to dedicate his life to the care of the sick; the young Salesian
was miraculously and completely healed.
He kept his promise. He worked in the San Jose pharmacy, and learned about
hospital management from Father Garrone. Upon his mentor's death, Artemide
took charge of the hospital, and what time he could spare from his
administrative duty was spent caring for patients. Today the hospital is
now named in his honor.
Born: 12 October 1880 at Boretto, Reggio Emilia, in northern Italy
Died: 15 March 1951 of cancer at Bahia Blanca, Argentina; relics
interred in the Salesian chapel at Viedma, Argentina
Venerated: 7 July 1997 by Pope John Paul II
Beatified: 14 April 2002 by Pope John Paul II
Canonized: pending
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