Saint Agnes of Montepulciano (†1317)was a Dominican prioress in medieval Tuscany, who was known as a miracle worker during her lifetime and is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church. In 1288 Agnes, despite her youth at only 20 years of age, was noted for her devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and deep life of prayer, and was elected as the prioress of the community there she gained a reputation for performing miracles; people suffering from mental and physical ailments seemed cured by her presence. She was reported to have "multiplied loaves", creating many from a few on numerous occasions, recalling the Gospel miracle of the loaves and fishes. In 1306, Agnes was recalled to head the monastery in Montepulciano. Agnes reached a high degree of contemplative prayer and is said to have been favored with many visions. After her return, she proceeded to build a church, Santa Maria Novella in Florence, to honor the Blessed Mother, as she felt she had been commanded to do in a mystical vision several years earlier. She also had a vision of Dominic Guzman, under the inspiration of which she led the nuns of her monastery to embrace the Rule of St. Augustine as members of the Dominican Order. When Agnes died at the age of 49, The Dominican friars attempted to obtain balsam to embalm her body. It was found, however, to be producing a sweet odor on its own, and her limbs remained supple. When her body was moved years after her death to the monastery church, it was found to be incorrupt. Her tomb became the site of pilgrimages. Agnes was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. Her feast day is celebrated within the Dominican Order on 20 April.
Saint Francis of Assisi (†1226), was an Italian Roman Catholic friar and preacher who founded the men's Order of Friars Minor, the women's Order of Saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis, and the Custody of the Holy Land. According to Christian tradition, in 1224 he received the stigmata during the apparition of a Seraphic angel in religious ecstasy, which would make him the first person in Christian tradition to bear the wounds of Christ's Passion. Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in history. Pope Gregory IX canonized Francis on 16 July 1228. Along with Catherine of Siena, he was designated patron saint of Italy. He later became associated with patronage of animals and the natural environment, and it became customary for churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on or near his feast day of 4 October.
Saint Anthony of Padua († 1231), also known as Anthony of Lisbon, was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. Noted by his contemporaries for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick, he was one of the most-quickly canonized saints in church history. He was canonized in 1232 by Pope Gregory IX and was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1946. He is the patron saint of Lisbon, lost items, lost people, lost souls, American Indians; amputees; animals; Brazil; elderly people; faith in the Blessed Sacrament; fishermen; harvests; horses; lower animals; mail; mariners; oppressed people; poor people; Portugal; pregnant women; shipwrecks; starvation; sterility; swineherds; travel hostesses; and travelers. His feast day is celebrated on June 13.
Saint Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi, O.Carm. († 1607) was an Italian Carmelite nun and mystic. Numerous miracles allegedly followed de' Pazzi's death. She was beatified in 1626 and canonized in 1669 by Pope Clement IX. She is little known outside Italy, but her cult is very strong, especially in Florence. Her importance in the Mission to the East especially in connection with India is recently explored. Her feast day is commemorated on May 25.
Saint Ursula (†383) is a Romano-British Christian saint. According to Tradition, she was a princess who set sail along with 11,000 virginal handmaidens to join her future husband, the pagan Governor Conan Meriadoc of Armorica. After a miraculous storm brought them over the sea in a single day to a Gaulish port, Ursula declared that before her marriage she would undertake a pan-European pilgrimage. She headed for Rome with her followers and persuaded the Pope, Cyriacus, and Sulpicius, bishop of Ravenna, to join them. After setting out for Cologne, which was being besieged by Huns, all the virgins were beheaded in a massacre. The Huns' leader fatally shot Ursula with an arrow in about 383 AD. She is a patron saint of Cologne, England, archers, orphans, students, Binangonan, Rizal.
St. Lucia of Syracuse (†304), also known as Saint Lucy, or Saint Lucia (Italian: Santa Lucia), was a young Christian martyr who died during the Diocletianic Persecution who is venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Orthodox Churches. She is one of eight women, who along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass. She is a patron of the blind; martyrs; Perugia, Italy; Mtarfa, Malta; epidemics; salesmen, Syracuse, Italy, throat infections, and writers.
Saint Margaret of Cortona, T.O.S.F., (†1297) was an Italian penitent of the Third Order of St. Francis who was canonized in 1728. She is the patron saint of the falsely accused, hoboes, homeless, insane, orphaned, mentally ill, midwives, penitents, single mothers, reformed prostitutes, stepchildren, and tramps. Her body, found to be incorrupt even after 400 years, is preserved in a silver casket inside the church rebuilt in Cortona in her honor. Margaret was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on 16 May 1728 and is honored with a Lesser Feast on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America on 22 February.
Saint Catherine de' Ricci (†1590), was an Italian Dominican Tertiary sister venerated for her mystic visions and is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church. She is believed to have had miraculous visions and corporeal encounters with Jesus, both with the infant Jesus and with the adult Jesus. She is said to have spontaneously bled with the wounds of the crucified Christ. Her feast day is commemorated on February 2 and she is considered a patron saint of the sick.
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J. (Italian: Luigi Gonzaga; † 1591) was an Italian aristocrat who became a member of the Society of Jesus. While still a student at the Roman College, he died as a result of caring for the victims of an epidemic. He was beatified in 1605, and canonized in 1726. He is a patron of students, Christian youth, Jesuit scholastics, the blind, AIDS patients, AIDS caregivers.
Saint Philip Romolo Neri, († 1595), known as the Apostle of Rome, was an Italian priest noted for founding a society of secular clergy called the Congregation of the Oratory of Filippo Neri. Patron of Rome, Mandaluyong, US Special Forces, Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, laughter, humor, and joy.
Saint Francis Borgia, S.J., 4th Duke of Gandía (Francisco de Borja) (†1572) was a great-grandson of Pope Alexander VI, a Grandee of Spain, a Spanish Jesuit, and third Superior General of the Society of Jesus. He was canonized on 20 June 1670 by Pope Clement X. His feast is commemorated on October 10 and he is venerated against earthquakes and a patron saint of Portugal.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola (†1556) was a Spanish Basque priest and theologian, who founded the religious order called the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and became its first Superior General. Ignatius was beatified in 1609, and then canonized, receiving the title of Saint on March 12, 1622. His feast day is celebrated on July 31. He is the patron saint of the Basque provinces of Gipuzkoa and Biscay as well as the Society of Jesus, and was declared patron saint of all spiritual retreats by Pope Pius XI in 1922. Ignatius is also a foremost patron saint of soldiers.
Saint Paschal Baylon (†1592) is a saint in the Roman Catholic Church noted for his strict austerities he imposed upon himself and his love for and compassion towards the ill. He is known for his strong and deep devotion to the Eucharist. Pope Paul V beatified him in 1618 and Pope Alexander VIII canonized him in 1690. He is known as the "Seraph of the Eucharist" and is the patron saint of Eucharistic congresses and Eucharistic associations. His feast day is commemorated on May 17.
Saint Clare of Assisi († 1253) is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition, and wrote their Rule of Life, the first set of monastic guidelines known to have been written by a woman. She is a patron of Eye disease sufferers, goldsmiths, laundry, television, embroiderers, gilders, good weather, needleworkers, Santa Clara Pueblo, Obando.