1) Born in Siena, Italy, in 1347.
She was born on the solemnity of the Annunciation of Jesus (March 25))
2) Said to have had her first visions of Jesus when she was just a child.
Her experiences as a mystic continued throughout her life.
3) Had the nickname “Euphrosyne.”
She was such a joy as a child that she was called “Euphrosyne”, which is Greek for JOY.
4) She was NOT a nun.
Motivated by a vision of Saint Dominic, she entered the Third Order of Saint Dominic at age 16.
5) Spent several years of solitude in her cell within her family’s home
…before living a life of service to the poor and sick in Siena.
6) Played a role in ending the Avignon Papacy.
She convinced Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from France!
7) She received the stigmata
…but her wounds were visible to her alone!
8) She had the Gift of Tears.
Pope Benedict XVI explained that this was part of her spirituality – to express an exquisite, profound sensitivity and tenderness.
9) She is the only lay Doctor of the Church.
The others are all clergy or religious! Pope Paul VI declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1970. Her spiritual testament and teachings are found in “The Dialogue of Divine Providence.”
10) She died on April 29, 1380, at the age of 33.