St Antoninus of Florence (1389-1459)
He was small in stature but great in achievements and was known as ‘little Antonio’. He joined the Dominicans at the age of 15. He was consecrated archbishop of Florence in 1446. He was exemplary in everything he did. He did without personal possesions and everything possible was given to the poor including the bulk of his furniture and most of his clothes. His bravery and charity during an outbreak of plague in 1448 and an earthquake in 1453 earned him the admiration and affection of his people. He carried out a visitation of his diocese every year preaching wherever he went. In addition to his pastoral activities he was also a scholar and wrote a number of significant works including the Summa Theologica.

Although he preached against usury, meaning the lending of money at interest, which the Church traditionally condemned, he made an important distinction between this and the investment of capital in a business. He said that a moderate return on such an investment was permissable. He thereby made a major contribution to the Church’s adjustment to the modern financial and industrial world, in which the Republic of Florence played a pioneering part.