Women Saints and Martyrs

St. Mella Feastday: April 25 780 A.D. Widow and abbess. She was the mother of St. Cannech and Tigernach, and lived in Connaught, Ireland. She became the abbess of Doire­Melle, Leitrim. St. Franca Visalta Feastday: April 26 1218 A.D. Cistercian nun and foundress. Born in 1170 in Piacenza, Italy, she entered the St. Syrus Benedictine Convent at the age of seven. Later elected abbess, she was ousted because of her strictness. After several years she became abbess of a convent at Montelana, which adopted the Cistercian rule. Moving the foundation to Pittoli, she died there. She was canonized by Pope Gregory X. St. Aldo Feastday: April 26 A native of Siena, and also known as Aude and Aldobrandesca, she gave away all her possessions on the death of her husband and devoted herself to aiding the poor. She spent the last part of her life ministering to the sick in the hospital at Siena, subjecting herself to great mortifications. She experienced visions and ecstasies during her li...

St. Agia Feastday: April 18 714 A.D. Benedictine and wife of St. Hiduiphus of Hainault, also called Aye or Austregildis. She entered the nunnery at Mons when St. Hidulphus became a monk. St. Eleutherius & Anthia Feastday: April 18 138 A.D. Bishop in Illyria, Dalmatia, with his mother, Anthia. He was a Roman, educated by Bishop Dynamius. At the age of twenty, Eleutherius himself became a bishop and was arrested for converting an imperial official. He was clubbed to death and Anthia was beheaded. St. Agnes of Montepulciano Feastday April 20 1317 A.D. Nun and foundress in Tuscany. She was born circa 1268 and at the age of nine entered the monastery of Montepulciano, near her home in Gracchiano-Vecchio. Four years later she was commissioned by Pope Nicholas IV to assist in the foundation of a new convent in Procena. At fifteen she became the head of the nuns there. About 1300, the people of Montepulciano built a new convent in order to lure Agnes back to them. She established a conven...

"In the fulfillment of your duties, let your intentions be so pure that you reject from your actions any other motive than the glory of God and the salvation of souls." - St. Angela Merici St. Gemma Galgani - feastday April 11 Gemma Galgani was born on March 12, 1878, in a small Italian town near Lucca. At a very young age, Gemma developed a love for prayer. She made her First Communion on June 17, 1887. As a pupil at the school run by the Sisters of St. Zita, Although quiet and reserved, she always had a smile for everyone. Although a good student, she had to quit school due to chronic ill health before completing the course of study. Gemma had an immense love for the poor, and helped them in any way she could. Feeling herself tempted by the devil, Gemma prayed for help to the Venerable Passionist, Gabriel Possenti. (Gabriel was later canonized) Through his intercession, Gemma was miraculously cured. Today, Gemma's mortal remains are still treasured at the Passionist mon...