dominican saints

Blessed Lucy was born at Narni, in Umbria, on the 13th of November, A.D. 1476, of the noble family of the Broccolelli. When she was quite a little child, one of her uncles brought some toys and pious objects from Rome as presents to his nephews and nieces. Lucy immediately made choice of a rosary and a little statue of the Infant Jesus as her share of the gifts; and this “Christarello,” as she called it, became the cherished object of her devotion. Going one day, when she was seven years old, to visit another uncle, in whose house she remembered to have seen a room, on the ceiling of which was a painting representing the holy angels, she wanted to behold the picture once more. She was unwilling to have any companion who might disturb her devotions, and yet the staircase which led to the room was too steep and difficult for her to climb alone. She therefore had recourse, as usual, to the Infant Jesus, and found herself miraculously transported to the apartment in question. Whilst praying there, she was favored with a heavenly vision of our Divine Lord, accompanied by His Blessed Mother, Saint Dominic, Saint Catharine of Siena, and a glorious troop of angels and of saints. Jesus then espoused her to Himself, placing a precious ring upon her finger; and Saint Dominic and Saint Catharine took her under their special protection, the former bestowing upon her the scapular of his Order, which she continued to wear under her secular attire until she was able to assume it in public. Many other heavenly favors, together with the gift of prophecy, were granted to her during her childhood; and she was thrice miraculously restored to health by Saint Catharine of Siena and Saint Peter, Martyr.

As she grew older, her family sought to give her in marriage, but Lucy firmly and courageously resisted; until at length our Blessed Lady revealed to her that it was the will of God that she should accept the and of a certain Count Pietro, and that her married life was to be an imitation of the holiness and purity of the house of Nazareth. Though she now had the management of a large household, which is said to have been as devout and well-ordered as a religious community, Blessed Lucy relaxed nothing of her customary exercises of prayer and practiced heroic penance, daily receiving the discipline at the hands of one of her maids. Prompted by a spirit of humility, she would clothe herself in coarse and shabby clothes, and during several hours every day take part with her servants in the domestic work of the house, after which she resumed the rich attire which befitted her rank.

After about four years of married life, Blessed Lucy resolved, in obedience to the express command of Heaven, to leave her husband and carry out her early desires of consecrating herself entirely to her heavenly Spouse. She retired for a time to her mother’s house, where the Prior of the Dominican Convent of Narni gave her the habit of the Third Order in the presence of witnesses, and a week later received her to profession. She then proceeded to Rome, where her uncles procured her admission into a Monastery dedicated to Saint Catharine of Siena, in which she spent nearly a year.

After this, she was sent to found a Convent of the Order at Viterbo; and three years later, when she had attained the age of twenty-three, at the earnest request of Duke Hercules d’Este, the Pope commanded her to repair to Ferrara and establish a Convent in that city, of which she was appointed perpetual Prioress. During this time, she had much to suffer from the Count, her husband; but she at length succeeded in inducing him to take the habit of Saint Francis, in which he lived and died holily.

Amongst many other miraculous visions and favors, Blessed Lucy was visibly marked with the sacred stigmata. She was held in universal esteem for her sanctity and miracles, and for her spirit of prophecy. But our Lord loved His faithful Spouse too well to leave her without a large share in His own chalice of suffering. Accordingly, after the death of her patron, the Duke of Ferrara, some members of the Community, whom she had had occasion to reprove for their evil lives, conspired against her, and by their calumnies, which were believed by the Superiors of the Order and by the Sovereign Pontiff himself, procured her deposition from office. She was made to take the lowest place, deprived of any voice in the affairs of the Convent she had founded, forbidden to go out of the house or to speak with seculars, or even with her confessor, in whose place another confessor was assigned her who was prejudiced against her. For the remaining thirty-eight years of her life Blessed Lucy thus remained beneath the shadow of the Cross, often afflicted also in body by serious illness, in which she received no assistance from the Community, who had allowed themselves to be strangely blinded to her true character. But our Lord sent His Saints to visit and console her from heaven, and on one occasion miraculously transported Blessed Catharine of Raconigi, who was then still living, from her home in Savoy to spend the night in the cell of Blessed Lucy, whom she had ardently desired to see.

The end came at last on the 15th of November, A.D. 1544- Having received the Last Sacraments, and with the joyful cry on her lips, “Away, away to heaven!” she happily departed to her Spouse, whilst angelic melodies floated in the air around. Then the eyes of her Sisters were opened, and they buried her with great honor. Many miracles followed her death, and she was beatified by Benedict XIII.