Part of a Series on Vincentian Heritage Places

Livorno (Leghorn), Italy: The Lazaretto

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After her fifth child was born in 1802, her husband William’s tuberculosis worsened. In 1803, Elizabeth, William and their oldest daughter traveled to Livorno, Italy with the hope that he would recover his health. Instead, they were held in quarantine for a month in the Lazaretto of Livorno, a dismal stone compound, as officials feared yellow fever then prevalent in New York.

About Lazarettos
Pisa and Venice were the first cities that introduced in the 14th century the use of quarantine and lazarettos, to save themselves from the invasions of the plague.

Lazaretto of San Leopoldo
The edict for the construction of the lazaretto of San Leopoldo was issued on December 30, 1779. The new lazaretto was equipped with the following facilities: an area for the sick and quarantined; a perimeter wall guarded by five turrets with a large external gate to allow for better exchange of incoming and outgoing goods; and a Rococo-style chapel. The lazaretto of San Leopoldo was incorporated into the Naval Academy facilities in 1913.

Today, a stone marker lies a few meters from the sea attached to the wall of the church of Saint James “in Acquaviva,” which recounts the time the Seton family spent in quarantine in the Lazaretto.

Translation of the plaque:
From New York her birth city
Blessed Elizabeth Ann Seton
came to the sea and the sun of Italy
looking for relief of the poor health of her husband
between the walls of the nearby old Lazaretto of St. Leopoldo
she surrendered to God with serene strength of mind
endured the harsh quarantine
from November to December 1803

Church of San Jacopo at Livorno

All Vincentian Places in this Series

Red = Vincent de Paul, Blue = Frederic Ozanam, Teal = Elizabeth Seton

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