Catherine of Siena
I will talk a little about the Historical figure called Catherine of Siena
Catherine of Siena was born on March 25th 1347 in Siena, Italy. Her parents were Giacomo Di Benincasa and Lapa Piagenti. Catherine was a Dominican Tertiary of the Dominican Order and received no formal education.
She faced opposition from her parents at the age of seven when she consecrated her virginity to Christ and as a tertiary, she lived at home instead of a convent where she performed acts of degradation, which may have been not permitted by the prioress. She was also known to drink pus when she felt sick "Never in my life have I tasted any food and drink sweeter or more exquisite than this pus."
In around 1366, Catherine began to tend the sick and help the poor after she experienced what she believed was her ‘Mystical Marriage’ with Jesus.
Four years later she believed that she received many visions of Purgatory, Heaven and Hell and heard a command to leave her solitary life and storm into the public life.
She started to write many letters to the people in authority and begged for peace in Italy and the return of the Papacy from Avignon to Rome.
She even had correspondence with the Pope, Gregory XI, asking him to reform the clergy and Papal States.
In 1376, she travelled to Avignon as the ambassador of Florence to make peace with the Papal States. Even though she was unsuccessful, she amazed the Pope and he returned his administration to Rome a year later. She was also passionately keen on his plan for a crusade to unite Christendom against the infidels.
In 1378, Catherine was sent on another mission to Florentine to restore peace and became involved in the internal politics of the city where a attempt to assassinate her failed and she felt disappointed by her escape and declared that her sins had deprived her the red rose of martyrdom.
Peace broke out in August 1378 between republic and the new pope and Catherine returned to Siena, where she dictated her “Dialogue”, a book that contained her meditations and revelations.
Towards the end of 1378, Catherine was called to Rome by Urban VI, where she worked for the reformation of the Church, serving the poor and sending letters on behalf of Urban. When her strength was starting to fade and she called for her Divine Bridegroom to let her witness her punishment for her sins and to receive the sacrifice of her body for the renewal of the Church.
It seemed to her that the Bark of Peter was laid on her shoulders and it was crushing her to death with its weight and she died on the Sunday before the Ascension after a mysterious agony of three months which she endured with delight.
On her death bed, she did her last political work which was the settlement of Pope Urban VI with the Roman Republic written in 1380.
Catherine of Siena was born on March 25th 1347 in Siena, Italy. Her parents were Giacomo Di Benincasa and Lapa Piagenti. Catherine was a Dominican Tertiary of the Dominican Order and received no formal education.
She faced opposition from her parents at the age of seven when she consecrated her virginity to Christ and as a tertiary, she lived at home instead of a convent where she performed acts of degradation, which may have been not permitted by the prioress. She was also known to drink pus when she felt sick "Never in my life have I tasted any food and drink sweeter or more exquisite than this pus."
In around 1366, Catherine began to tend the sick and help the poor after she experienced what she believed was her ‘Mystical Marriage’ with Jesus.
Four years later she believed that she received many visions of Purgatory, Heaven and Hell and heard a command to leave her solitary life and storm into the public life.
She started to write many letters to the people in authority and begged for peace in Italy and the return of the Papacy from Avignon to Rome.
She even had correspondence with the Pope, Gregory XI, asking him to reform the clergy and Papal States.
In 1376, she travelled to Avignon as the ambassador of Florence to make peace with the Papal States. Even though she was unsuccessful, she amazed the Pope and he returned his administration to Rome a year later. She was also passionately keen on his plan for a crusade to unite Christendom against the infidels.
In 1378, Catherine was sent on another mission to Florentine to restore peace and became involved in the internal politics of the city where a attempt to assassinate her failed and she felt disappointed by her escape and declared that her sins had deprived her the red rose of martyrdom.
Peace broke out in August 1378 between republic and the new pope and Catherine returned to Siena, where she dictated her “Dialogue”, a book that contained her meditations and revelations.
Towards the end of 1378, Catherine was called to Rome by Urban VI, where she worked for the reformation of the Church, serving the poor and sending letters on behalf of Urban. When her strength was starting to fade and she called for her Divine Bridegroom to let her witness her punishment for her sins and to receive the sacrifice of her body for the renewal of the Church.
It seemed to her that the Bark of Peter was laid on her shoulders and it was crushing her to death with its weight and she died on the Sunday before the Ascension after a mysterious agony of three months which she endured with delight.
On her death bed, she did her last political work which was the settlement of Pope Urban VI with the Roman Republic written in 1380.
posted by David at 8:38 pm
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