Ursula Benincasa, (
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 ...
: Orsola Benincasa), born around 1550 and died in
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
on 20 October 1618, was an Italian nun and mystic, declared
venerable
The Venerable (''venerabilis'' in Latin) is a style, a title, or an epithet which is used in some Western Christian churches, or it is a translation of similar terms for clerics in Eastern Orthodoxy and monastics in Buddhism.
Christianity
Cat ...
, founder of the Oblate Sisters and Hermitage of the Contemplative Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, later the Theatine Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
Life
Ursula Benincasa was born in Naples to Girolamo and Vincenza Genuina Benincasa. She was the youngest daughter of eight siblings. Her family was originally from Siena related to that of
Catherine of Siena
Catherine of Siena (Italian: ''Caterina da Siena''; 25 March 1347 – 29 April 1380), a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic, was a mystic, activist, and author who had a great influence on Italian literature and on the Catholic Church ...
.
[Ragonesi, Franciscus. "Theatines." The Catholic Encyclopedia]
Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 22 September 2022
With great religious fervor, the young Ursula tried to enter the
Capuchin Poor Clares
The Capuchin Poor Clares ( la, Ordo Sanctae Clarae Capuccinarum) is a Catholic religious order of Pontifical Right for women founded in Naples, Italy, in 1538, by Ven. Maria Lorenza Longo. The order still exists and it now has communities in the ...
of the monastery of Santa Maria di Gerusalemme, but was too young. Around 1576, she retired to a hermitage near the
Castel Sant'Elmo
Castel Sant'Elmo is a medieval fortress located on Vomero Hill adjacent to the Certosa di San Martino, overlooking Naples, Italy. The name "Sant'Elmo" derives from a former 10th-century church dedicated to Sant'Erasmo, shortened to "Ermo" and, ...
in the
Vomero district. She quickly acquired a reputation for holiness and attracted many followers. She told Gregorio Navarro, Abbot of Francavilla, of a vision in which the Blessed Virgin had directetd her to build a church in honour of the Most Holy Conception of Mary. The church, built near
Castel Sant'Elmo
Castel Sant'Elmo is a medieval fortress located on Vomero Hill adjacent to the Certosa di San Martino, overlooking Naples, Italy. The name "Sant'Elmo" derives from a former 10th-century church dedicated to Sant'Erasmo, shortened to "Ermo" and, ...
, was completed in 1582.
Rumors of her visions and ecstasies raised complaints and in May 1582 she was called to Rome, where was subjected to rigorous examinations by a commission which included Cardinal
Giulio Antonio Santorio
Giulio Antonio Santorio (6 June 1532 – 9 May 1602) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
Biography
Santorio was born in Caserta. He served as Archbishop of Santa Severina from 1566 until his death. , then
Grand Inquisitor
Grand Inquisitor ( la, Inquisitor Generalis, literally ''Inquisitor General'' or ''General Inquisitor'') was the lead official of the Inquisition. The title usually refers to the chief inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition, even after the reuni ...
in Rome, and
Philip Neri
Philip Romolo Neri ( ; it, italics=no, Filippo Romolo Neri, ; 22 July 151526 May 1595), known as the "Second Apostle of Rome", after Saint Peter, was an Italian priest noted for founding a society of secular clergy called the Congregation of ...
, founder of the
Congregation of the Oratory
The Confederation of Oratories of Saint Philip Neri ( la, Confoederatio Oratorii Sancti Philippi Nerii) abbreviated CO and commonly known as the Oratorians is a Catholic society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right for men (priests and lay- ...
. They sent her on to
Frascati
Frascati () is a city and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital in the Lazio region of central Italy. It is located south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills close to the ancient city of Tusculum. Frascati is closely associated wit ...
where she was interviewed by
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII ( la, Gregorius XIII; it, Gregorio XIII; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585), born Ugo Boncompagni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for ...
, who placed her under the direction of Saint Philip Neri.
["Venerable Ursula Benincasa". ''New Catholic Dictionary'', 1910]
Theatine sisters
In 1583, she founded the Oblate Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (Italian: Oblate della SS. Concezione di Maria) next to the church at Castel Sant'Elmo.
[ Her sisters, among them Christina who became the first superioress, and some of her nieces formed the community. Little by little, other pious women joined them, to the number of sixty, whose members devoted themselves to the education of youth, especially of the girls.
In 1617,][ Ursula Benincasa had a vision of the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus. This vision is at the origin of the ]Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception
The Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception (most known as simply Blue Scapular) is a devotional scapular that traces its roots to Venerable Ursula Benincasa, who founded the Roman Catholic religious order of the Theatines, Theatine Nuns.Veny ...
and the foundation of the Hermitage of the Contemplative Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. The rule was that of an ascetic life devoted to contemplative prayer to support the apostolic work of the Oblates.
In 1617, Benincasa had the revelation that her community was to join the Theatine Order, which was authorized by Pope Urban VIII in 1633.
After her death, a large monastic complex was built around the first buildings. After the Italian unification, a free girls' school opened there. Since 2004, this complex has been the seat of the Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples
The Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples ( it, Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa - Napoli) is a private university located in Naples, Italy. It was founded in 1895, named after the venerable sister Ursula Benincasa and is organiz ...
.
On 7 August 1793 her religious virtues were recognized by Pope Pius VI, who declared her venerable.
See also
* Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception
The Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception (most known as simply Blue Scapular) is a devotional scapular that traces its roots to Venerable Ursula Benincasa, who founded the Roman Catholic religious order of the Theatines, Theatine Nuns.Veny ...
* Theatines
The Theatines officially named the Congregation of Clerics Regular ( la, Ordo Clericorum Regularium), abreviated CR, is a Catholic order of clerics regular of Pontifical Right for men founded by Archbishop Gian Pietro Carafa in Sept. 14, 1524. I ...
* Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples
The Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples ( it, Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa - Napoli) is a private university located in Naples, Italy. It was founded in 1895, named after the venerable sister Ursula Benincasa and is organiz ...
References
Bibliography
Silvana Menchi: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 8 (1966), dans l'Encyclopédie Treccani
* Vittoria Fiorelli, ''Una santa della città : suor Orsola Benincasa e la devozione napoletana tra Cinquecento e Seicento'', Naples, Editoriale scientifica, séries Series: Historica (Istituto universitario di magistero "Suor Orsola Benincasa"), 2001.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benincasa, Ursula
16th-century Italian Roman Catholic religious sisters and nuns
Italian venerated Catholics
Roman Catholic mystics
16th-century births
1618 deaths
Year of birth uncertain
17th-century Italian Roman Catholic religious sisters and nuns