Blessed Blessed may refer to: * The state of having received a blessing * Blessed, a title assigned by the Roman Catholic Church to someone who has been beatified Film and television * ''Blessed'' (2004 film), a 2004 motion picture about a supernatural ...

Giovanna da Signa (1245 – 9 November 1307) was an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

from

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...

and a recluse with a reputation for being a miracle worker. Her life was spent in silent solitude dedicated to

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

and she remained a virgin her life as part of her consecration to God. Her beatification was celebrated in Florence under Pope Pius VI in 1798 and was the last beatification of this pope's reign.

Life

Giovanna was born in

Signa Signa () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence. Signa borders the following municipalities: Campi Bisenzio, Carmignano, Lastra a Signa, Poggio a Caiano, ...

in a castle along the Arno River in

. In 1268 she became a recluse in a small cave in Signa and decided to consecrate her life – and indeed her entire period of solitude – to

while deciding to remain chaste in further service to him. She garnered a formidable reputation for working miracles in her life though at least six have been recorded during her life. Giovanna died on 9 November 1307 and her remains housed in the church of San Giovanni Battista. Her local "cultus" (or popular devotion) gained considerable impetus in 1348 after the cessation of an epidemic that was credited to her intercession. The Vallombrosans and the Franciscans have claimed her as a member as have the Carmelites and Augustinians but this is proven to be falsified information. 21 miracles were credited to her for an undetermined period after her death. Celebrations were held from 16 November 2006 until 16 November 2007 to mark seven centuries since her death;

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the soverei ...

issued a special indulgence for those that participated in special events for those commemorations.

Beatification

Pope Pius VI beatified the late recluse on 21 September 1798 during his exile in Florence. Her beatification was the last to be celebrated in that pope's reign. Her annual liturgical feast is affixed for the date of her death.

References

External links

Encyclopedia.comSanti e Beati
{{DEFAULTSORT:Giovanna da Signa 1245 births 1307 deaths 13th-century venerated Christians 13th-century people of the Republic of Florence 14th-century venerated Christians 14th-century people of the Republic of Florence Italian beatified people Religious leaders from Florence People from Signa