Canonized and Beatified Religious

 

Many penitents who lived the Rule of 1221 have been beatified or canonized. There are dozens of consecrated virgins, religious, and priests who lived the Rule of 1221 and whose holiness has been recognized formally by the Catholic Church. Some of these include:

 

• St. Ivo of Brittany (priest, 1253-1303).

 

• Blessed Angeline of Marsciano (consecrated virgin, 1377-1435)

 

• Saint Hyacinth of Mariscotti (nun, 1585-1640)

 

• Saint Peter Baptist (priest, martyr, died 1597)

 

• St. Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes (vowed religious, 1614-1645)

 

• Saint Mary Frances of the Five Wounds (consecrated virgin, 1734-1791)

 

• St. Joseph Benedict Cottolengo (priest, founder, 1786-1842)

 

• Blessed Elisabetta Vendramini (nun, 1790-1860)

 

• Saint Joseph Cafasso (priest, 1811-1860)

 

• Blessed Mary Frances Schervier (nun, foundress, 1819-1876)

 

Canonized and Beatified Laity

 Some canonized and beatified laity who lived the Rule of 1221 include: 

 

• Blessed Luchesio of Poggibonzi (? – 1242)—First to live the Rule of 1221. Merchant and husband. Exercised charity to the poor and the sick. Man of prayer and austerities.

 

• Saint Virdiana (1182-1242)—Prayerful anchorite (walled-in hermit) gifted with miracles.

 

• Blessed Jacoba de Settesoli (1190-1239)—Holy noblewoman, wife, mother. Support of St. Francis of Assisi and his friars. Buried in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.

 

• Saint Ferdinand III of Spain (1199-1252)—Husband, father. Generous, just, gentle king who drove from Spain the Muslims who were threatening to exterminate Christianity. Insisted on discipline and Christian conduct among his soldiers. Sponsored founding of University of Salamanca. Rebuilt Cathedral of Burgos.

 

• Blessed Novelon of Faenza (1200-1280)—Married, dissolute shoemaker who had a conversion when he became deathly ill at the age of twenty-four. Thereafter became generous almsgiver to the poor and sick, did many penances, made several pilgrimages.

 

• Blessed Gerard of Villamagna (c. 1200-1242)—Humble, holy hermit and pilgrim. Used to visit three churches each week, praying for souls in Purgatory, remission of his own sins, and conversion of unbelievers.

 

• Blessed Jutta of Thuringia (?-c. 1264)—Noble mother who reared her children to be good Christians. After being widowed, tended lepers, visited and financially supported poor. Became a hermit who prayed for conversion of the Prussians.

 

• Blessed Peter of Siena (early 1200’s-1289)—Prayerful, widowed comb maker. Exercised works of charity. Accepted humiliations, contrary customers, and toil as penances. Made pilgrimages. Went to daily confession.

 

• Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) –Daughter of the King of Hungary. Wed to Louis of Thuringia. Widowed at an early age. Founded a hospital. Known for her penances and her charity to the poor 

 

• Blessed Torello of Poppi (1208-1282)—Lived dissolute life as a young man. Experienced conversion and became a hermit. Overcame spiritual attacks. Worked miracles.

 

• Saint Louis IX of France (1215-1270)—King, husband, father, crusader. Founded hospitals, built churches, promoted learning. Peacemaker. Guided and taught his children. Ruled his kingdom with Christian values.

 

• Saint Zita of Lucca (1218-1278)—Pious, generous, dedicated, meek household servant. Assisted poor, sick, and imprisoned.

 

• Blessed Umiliana Cerchi (1219-1246) –Austere widow who lived as a hermit. Begged for alms for the poor. Experienced ecstasies at prayer.

 

• Saint Rose of Viterbo (1234-1252)—Virgin preacher against the enemies of the Pope.

 

• Blessed John Pelingotto (1240-1304)—Merchant turned holy hermit.

 

• Blessed Raymond Lull (1236-1314)—Learned teacher, preacher, author, founder of a college, evangelizer of Muslims, martyr.

 

• Saint Amato Ronconi (1226?-1292?)--Devoted to poor, lived from working in fields of others, ate only herbs and vegetables, practiced mortifications, gave hospitality to pilgrims, built a hospice near his house.

 

Additional canonized and beatified laity who lived the Rule of 1221 include: 

 

• Blessed Jane of Signa (1244-1307)—Devout shepherd who became anchorite (walled-in hermit). Worked miracles.

 

• Saint Margaret of Cortona (1247-1297) – Flamboyant mistress of young nobleman. Bore him a son. Experienced conversion when her lover was murdered. Mystic. Formed community of women to care for ill. Founded hospital and Confraternity of Our Lady. Subject of gossip but was cleared of charges.

 

• Blessed Angela of Foligno (1248-1309) – Lived worldly life as wife before her conversion. Mystic who started community of those living the Rule of 1221. Devoted to care of the needy.

 

• Saint Elizabeth (Isabella) of Portugal (1271-1336)—Holy, prayerful Queen of Portugal, peacemaker.

 

• Blessed Delphina (1283-1358)—Noble countess who lived in virginity with her husband Elzear. Instructed her servants in love of God. Cared for poor. After Elzear’s death, became mistress of royal household in Sicily where she edified all the court by her virtue.

 

• Saint Elzear of Sabran (1286-1323)—Noble count who lived in virginity with his wife, served the poor, nursed the sick, performed miracles.

 

• Saint Conrad of Piacenza (1290-1354)—Wealthy noble who converted after a fire he lit while hunting destroyed a neighbor’s cornfield. Turned himself in when an innocent peasant was condemned for starting the blaze. Gave up his wealth and became a hermit while his wife became a Poor Clare nun. Suffered many spiritual attacks.

 

• Saint Roch of Montpellier (c. 1295-1378)—Wealthy noble who devoted his life to care of plague victims. Falsely imprisoned but made no defense of his innocence.

 

• Blessed Thomas of Foligno (1319-1377)—Holy hermit who became an anchorite (walled-in hermit). Left his cell at Holy Spirit’s bidding and preached penance to people of Tuscany. Miracle worker. Experienced visions and ecstasies.

 

• Saint Frances of Rome (1384-1440)—Mother, widow, mystic, prophet, benefactor of sick and poor. Founded the Oblates of Mary. Had angel as companion at the end of her life.

 

• Blessed Robert of Malatesta (1411-1432)—Devout, noble youth dedicated to prayer, penance, and works of charity.

 

• Saint Jeanne of Valois (1464-1503)—Queen of France, cofounder with Blessed Gabriel Maria (friar) of the royal order of the Blessed Virgin. Abused by her father, disdained by her husband who eventually received an annulment of the marriage. Charitable to poor and sick. Devoted to Passion of Christ.

 

• Blessed Paula Gambara (?-1505)—Holy wife devoted to service of the poor. Suffered under dissolute, abusive husband who, through her prayers, eventually experienced conversion. Widowed, devoted to prayer, penance, works of charity.

 

• Blessed Luisa Albertoni (1474-1533)—Noble wife and mother who educated her three daughters at home. Widowed at thirty-three years of age. Devoted to prayer, penance, simplicity, care of poor especially destitute young girls who needed work or a dowry.

 

• Saint Thomas More (1477-1535)—Lord chancellor of England, husband, father, humanist, scholar, intellectual, author, martyred for treason because he refused to support King Henry VIII in his divorce and remarriage against Church law.

 

• Blessed Pedro de San Jose de Betancur (1626-1667)—Opened hospital, shelter for the homeless, school for the poor. Walked streets of Guatemala City, urging repentance.