.css-tadcwa:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}V. M. Traverso - @media screen and (max-width: 767px){.css-1xovt06 .date-separator{display:none;}.css-1xovt06 .date-updated{display:block;width:100%;}}published on 05/10/19. Crossing of the Red Sea; Moses Changing Aarons Rod into a Snake; Moses Saved from the River; Moses Her father was an important government official who worked for the Marquis of Ferrara, a member of the royal family. She was the daughter of John de Vigri and Benvenuta Mammolini. Four years later, a royal princess founded a convent for this society according to the rule of St. Clare, and several zealous sisters from Mantua introduced the young women to the Poor Clare rule of life. From Rome she sent out letters and exhortations to gain support for Urban; as one of her last efforts, she tried to win back Queen Joan I of Naples to obedience to Urban, who had excommunicated the queen for supporting the antipope Clement VII. Copyright Aleteia SAS all rights reserved. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Medium: Oil on Wood (580x310mm) Throughout her life Catherine claimed to have visions and revelations. She also served as a caretaker for the animals. Catherine of Bologna was an Italian nun and artist born as Catherine de' Vigri on September 8, 1413, in Bologna, Italy. Learn more about the Franciscan spirituality which St. Catherine lived. "La Pedagogia dell'immagine nelle miniature e negli scritti di S. Caterina Vigri". [2] The treatise was circulated in manuscript form through a network of Poor Clare convents. She died in 1463 and was canonized in 1712. Omissions? WebSt. Then she became Superioress of a new school in Bologna. little known incorrupt saint Catherine became known as a miracle worker after her death in 1463. Her most famous work is probably the Seven Spiritual Weapons Necessary for Spiritual Warfare, written in 1438 and continuously re-drafted until her death in 1463. Catherine was born in 1413 in Bologna, Italy. Throughout her life Catherine claimed to have visions and revelations. She endeavored, above all, to impress on their young hearts that they should desire nothing but the honor of God and the fulfillment of His holy will, and so she recommended that they look upon the holy rule and obedience to their superiors as their guides. She was known for her holiness, asceticism, and spiritual visions and was said to have received stigmata. Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more. Visitors to the bustling Italian city of Bologna will find many palaces and historical and buildings there, including those dedicated to its ancient and renowned university. One of them took place in the garden: a sister who was working there cut off her own foot with a violent blow of the hoe. There, she served as an abbess until her death at age 49 in 1463, when she reportedly passed away while playing the viola. She rapidly gained a wide reputation for her holiness and her severe asceticism. Saint Gabriel Francis Possenti's feast day is February 28. Yet in all these situations she was always holding the Lord's hand, she did not leave him, she did not abandon him. Surrounding them are the philosophers who are amazed at what Catherine is sharing as can be seen by the look of awe on their faces. Want to see fewer ads on Aleteia? She felt forsaken by God, she found herself in the darkness of faith. But her humility did not stop her spiritual and creative genius. In 1456 she founded in Bologna a convent of Poor Clares, serving as abbess until her death. Find Your Educational Consultant Review Our Catalogs Search the SiteSEARCH Faith Formation Programs Christ Our LifeChrist Our Life Finding GodFinding God Sacramental PreparationSacramental Preparation Growing With GodGrowing with God Catherine of Bologna [Caterina de' Vigri] (8 September 1413 9 March 1463)[1][2] was an Italian Poor Clare, writer, teacher, mystic, artist, and saint. WebSaint Catherine of Bologna was charged with the duties of the bakery; she cheerfully undertook this laborious service, and even when the heat began to affect her eyes, she remained at her post as long as the abbess required it. Catherine was openly willing to serve the more humble roles in the convent. At midnight, Our Lady appeared to her, holding the Child Jesus close to her breast. Co-Author: Penny Lord| At just 17 years old, Catherine joined a semi-religious lay community and later went on to join other women in founding a monastery of the Order of Poor Clares. Her body was found to be flexible and uncorrupted. One of the prayers written in the aforementioned book gives us a glimpse of this: My sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, who by Thine infinite and inexpressible charity suffered cruel torments tied to a pillar, and endured the rough and harsh blows of Thine enemies for my salvation, I beg Thee to grant me such fortitude that with Thy grace I may prevail and endure with patience this and every other battle.4. After five years, this group disbanded, but Catherine and some of her companions formed a new group, ruled by the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi. But Catherine, then aged 14, politely declined the offer in order to become a servant of God. She is the patron saint of artists, the liberal arts, against temptations and of Bologna. WebBy continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our Privacy Notice. WebAt age 49, she became gravely ill and died a few months later. "Malpighi and the holy body: medical experts and miraculous evidence in seventeenth-century Italy", This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 20:17. She was followed by Popes (one of whom was Pope Clement VII), Cardinals (including St. Charles Borromeo who gifted her with a precious vestment), Emperors, Princes and all kinds of personages. She was buried in Bologna but soon after her burial, miracles began happening near her gravesite. It remains intact, never having decomposed for over five hundred years! Excerpted from Christ Our Life, by Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio. http://www.edocere.org/articles/st_catharine_alexandria.htm It was eventually relocated to a chapel where it remains on display, dressed in her religious habit, seated upright behind glass. We are now in a position to meditate on a veritable monument of theology which, after the Treatise on the Seven Spiritual Weapons, is made up of distinct and autonomous parts: The Twelve Gardens, a mystical work of her youth, Rosarium, a Latin poem on the life of Jesus, and The Sermons, copies of Catherine's words to her religious sisters." Saint Angela of Foligno's feast day is February 28. She rapidly gained a wide reputation for her holiness and her severe asceticism. WebFrom Visionaries, Mystics and Stigmatists Perhaps, one of the greatest Miracles is the in-corrupt body of our Saint, seated on a regal throne in a Chapel to the left of the main altar in the Church of Corpus Domini in Bologna. Perhaps partly thanks to such a secluded life, she proved an incredibly prolific artist, writer and philosopher, leaving behind many important pieces of work in her 49 years of life on earth. Return to Franciscan Calendar Page Return to Incorruptible Saints Page Return to Saints Page Return to Roman Catholic Saints Homepage The beauty of her life and death encourages us to live in perfect charity as a Lenten goal. Then she became Superioress of a new school in Bologna. [6] Catherine lived at Corpus Domini, Ferrara most of her life from 1431 to 1456, serving as Mistress of Novices. The patron saint of artists and against temptations, Catherine de' Vigri was venerated for nearly three centuries in her native Bologna before being formally canonized in 1712 by Pope Clement XI. But 14 days after her burial her sisters decided to exhume her body, as a sweet scent emanated from her tomb. Thank you! Catherine of Bologna was an Italian nun and artist born as Catherine de' Vigri on September 8, 1413, in Bologna, Italy. She left Ferrara in July 1456 with 12 sisters to start the new community and remained abbess there until her death on 9 March 1463. In memory of this fact, to this day the people of Bologna observe the custom of reciting a thousand Hail Marys on Christmas Eve. The women were divided over whether instead to adhere to the Franciscan rule, which eventually happened. Before dying she said a prayer and told the soldiers to execute their orders, and she was beheaded with a quick blow of the sword. Throughout her life, Catherine experienced visions of both Jesus Christ and Satan, which she documented in her treatise. Saint Alexander's feast day is February 26. She accepted the offer and, together with 12 nuns from her home monastery of Ferrara, she helped found the Corpus Domini monastery in Bologna. To all our readers, Please don't scroll past this. Local nuns still run the church and will provide information leaflets with more in-depth facts about St. Catherines life. [12] She meditated while she copied the scriptural text, adding about 1000 prayer rubrics, and drew initials with bust-portraits of saints, paying special attention to images of Clare and Francis. WebAt age 49, she became gravely ill and died a few months later. There have been other paintings of this miracle story, but there is something spectacular about the way Fontana depicted the scene. She did this with all the reverence of a daughter, and when the service was finished, she held and kissed them with deep veneration. .css-pelz90{font-weight:400;}Saint Catherine of Bologna spent most of her life as a cloistered nun in the convent of the Poor Clares of Bologna, in northern Italy. So, it was decided that she should be exhumed. Part of this book describes at length her visions both of God and of Satan. Fresh blood immediately flowed, as if the saint were still alive. Faberi, Mariafiamma (2013). But whoever wishes to undertake this battle must never give up, for the enemies never sleep.2, St. Catherine conceived religious life as that of a soldier on the battlefield who courageously confronts the enemy. During that first period in Ferrara, she received many mystical graces, but she also had to endure many spiritual trials. She and Margaret were educated together by a private tutor. Public Domain via Wikimedia. Kings, clergy and common people have knelt before her, filled with wonder at being able to venerate her up close. While they were unable to account for this, Catherine, knowing the source of all good from whom this miraculous event proceeded, began to give out the wine openly and unstintingly to all the poor people she knew, but even then the cask showed no signs of drying up or the wine of losing its flavor. Accordingly, she encouraged the members of her community with words such as these: Beloved sisters, the dowry that Christ Jesus wants to find in each one of you is that you be valiant in battle, that is, strong and steadfast in the fight.3, However, it was not only her gifts as a pious writer that the novices of Ferrara could appreciate. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. July 22, 1456 became a historic day for that city. Perhaps, one of the greatest Miracles is the in-corrupt body of our Saint, seated on a regal throne in a Chapel to the left of the main altar in the Church of Corpus Domini in Bologna. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! Saint Catherine of Bologna spent most of her life as a cloistered nun in the convent of the Poor Clares of Bologna, in northern Italy. She accepted the offer and, together with 12 nuns from her home monastery of Ferrara, she helped found the Corpus Domini monastery in Bologna. WebCatherine was to be canonized by Pope Clement XI on 22 May 1712. Yet in all these situations she was always holding the Lords hand, she did not leave him, she did not abandon him. In 1456 she founded in Bologna a convent of Poor Clares, serving as abbess until her death. Catherine's best-known text is Seven Spiritual Weapons Necessary for Spiritual Warfare[8] which she appears to have first written in 1438 and then rewritten and augmented between 1450 and 1456. Catherine of Bologna is the patron saint of artists. In one instance, she had the baby Jesus placed in her arms by the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was a model of piety and reported experiencing miracles and several visions of Christ, the Virgin Mary, Thomas Becket, and Joseph, as well as future events, such as the fall of Constantinople in 1453. She was not in a position to return to the bakery until five hours later, and certainly believed that everything had been burned by that time. At the time, the custom of the Poor Clares did not allow the sisters to be buried in a coffin. In the very first pages of this book, entitled The Seven Spiritual Weapons, she describes the life of a Christian as follows: At the beginning and at the end of this battle, one must pass through a stormy sea, that is, through many distressing temptations and fierce battles.1 And to help us triumph in this struggle, she adds: I want to give you at the very outset some weapons that will enable you to fight effectively against the cunning of our enemies. If He encounters no obstacles on our part, the heavenly Father will transform and sanctify us, making our spirit shine with His, the ultimate end of our existence. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Catherine praised God through her art. trans. Catherine, then 14, joined a group of Franciscan tertiaries in Ferrara who later adopted the Rule of St. Clare. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Our Saint wanted to be where all the people of God could venerate her easily, and so she appeared to one of the nuns of the Monastery of Corpus Domini and told her she wanted a Chapel built close to the outer church. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [2]make amends, restitution [3]a substance emanating from tar - used for waterproofing and covering roofs [4]refer to chapter on St. Catherine of Genoa. Catherine of Bologna is the patron saint of artists. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. She, like us, suffered temptations, she suffered the temptations of disbelief, of sensuality, of a difficult spiritual struggle. Today, her fully preserved remains dating to more than 500 hundred years ago are still preserved inside the beautiful Corpus Domini church of Bologna, also known as Chiesa della Santa (literally Church of the Saint). Catherine, then 14, joined a group of Franciscan tertiaries in Ferrara who later adopted the Rule of St. Clare. Spiritual visions consoled and disturbed her at various times in her life, which we know from her work, The Seven Spiritual Weapons. (LogOut/ She was the daughter of John de Vigri and Benvenuta Mammolini. Saint Catherine of Bologna Saint Catherine of Bologna spent most of her life as a cloistered nun in the convent of the Poor Clares of Bologna, in northern Italy. The birth of Saint Catherine of Bologna was foretold to her devout father by the Blessed Virgin, with the announcement that the child would be a brilliant light throughout the world. Miraculous cures began to occur at St Catherines gravesite, as even the incurable were instantly healed. Copyright 2017 - RCL Benziger. Fortunati, Vera, Jordano Pomeroy & Claudio Strinati. Her chief work is considered to be Le sette armi necessarie alla battaglia spirituale (composed in 1438; Eng. During the Lenten season of 1463, Catherine became seriously ill, and on March 9th she passed away. WebOf noble birth, Catherine was educated at the Este court at Ferrara and entered the order in 1432. She was forty-nine years of age, thirty-two of which were spent in consecrated life. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. WebIn St. Catherine of Bologna, Divine Providence deposited admirable gifts, among which stand out her docility in allowing herself to be loved by God. Previously, she had been in a Chapel inside the Monastery. Forgive the faults I committed in ignorance and wash my soul in the blood I will shed for Thee. Coming to herself from this rapture, Catherine regained her vitality. The superior of the time did not think twice and ordered St. Catherine to assume a sitting position, a command which the corpse obeyed without hesitation. But you will no longer be able to prevent me when from all parts of the world the faithful will come to visit you and, with profound veneration, will kneel to kiss your feet!. It was only when the Abbess ordered her, did Catherine, out of obedience, sit unaided in the chair and in the same position she can be found to this day. She created beautiful illuminated manuscripts by painting small illustrations on the pages of prayer books and Bibles, which she also lettered and copied by hand. Thus it can still be seen in Bologna robed in a costly garment presented by St Charles Borromeo and seated upright on a throne, under a crystal shrine. There she was able to study literature, poetry, music and painting, revealing exceptional artistic gifts, which she put to use with remarkable unpretentiousness, and which explain her designation as patroness of artists. These nuns turned away from anything that kept them from focusing on God. Copyright (c) 2010 Bob and Penny Lord's Site, Bob and Penny Lord are renowned Catholic authors and television hosts on EWTN, Global Catholic television. Updates? So she put the bread in the oven, said I entrust you to Christ and then went to hear the sermon, which lasted more than four hours. Soon, the women decided to join an order of nuns called the Poor Clares. Her most remarkable vision was on Christmas Eve, when she claimed that Mary appeared to her with baby Jesus, and that Mary even let Catherine hold him. We have loved her since 1977, the first time we brought our grandson, all of ten years old, to Europe with us. Annunciation; Miraculous Draught of Fish; Transfiguration; Raising of Lazarus; Resurrection; Amanda Weaver. Catherine was determined to live a life of perfection, and was admired by her companions for her holiness. Printable Catholic Saints PDFs In 1456, Catherine returned to Bologna with her superiors and the governors there requested she found a second monastery of the same Order and be the Abbess of the convent. The record of her ecstatic experiences in The Dialogue illustrates her doctrine of the inner cell of the knowledge of God and of self into which she withdrew. Saint Catherine of Bologna was charged with the duties of the bakery; she cheerfully undertook this laborious service, and even when the heat began to affect her eyes, she remained at her post as long as the abbess required it. As St. Catherines illness continued to worsen, she received the last Sacraments. On another occasion, she was overcome by a deep and persistent sleepiness during Mass. 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