St. Catherine of Siena

She was accepted in 1364. She took the habit and the monastic name Catherine at the Basilica of San Domenico. As a Dominican Tertiary, she led an ascetic life, which was not easy for her. Difficulties were exacerbated by her unfamiliarity with Latin. She acted to the benefit of the sick, the poor and the excluded, in addition, she had the gift of casting out demons from the possessed. She was absorbed in Church and world affairs. At the time, Pope Gregory XI was in Avignon. It was thanks to her efforts that he returned to Rome in 1376, ending the almost seventy-year Avignon Papacy. 

A year earlier, in April, Catherine received stigmata in the form of bloody rays in the church of Santa Cristina in Pisa, which only she could see, but which were made visible shortly before her death. She died in the reputation of holiness in Rome on April 29, 1380. She was laid to rest in the Dominican church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome and her body is still in this basilica today. 

Just a year after her death, her skull was transferred to Siena as a relic. Three years later, it was the object of solemn veneration and moved in procession to the Basilica of San Domenico, where it is still kept. In the same basilica is Catherine's finger: with this relic, a blessing is given to Italy and the armed forces on Sunday afternoon, when international feasts in honor of the Saint are held. In turn, her left foot is preserved in Venice (in the Church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo). There was a rib in Siena Cathedral: however, it was donated to the shrine of Santa Caterina in Astenet, Belgium. Finally, the scales from Catherine's shoulder blade are in the shrine of Catherine in Siena. The Saint's left hand, bearing the mark of the stigmata, is kept at the Monastery of the Holy Rosary of Monte Mario in Rome. 

Pius II canonized Catherine of Siena on April 14, 1461, while on October 4, 1970, Pope Paul VI bestowed the title of Doctor of the Church upon her, and finally in 1999 Pope John Paul II declared her one of the Patronesses of Europe.

In iconography, St. Catherine is depicted wearing a white robe and black cloak of the Dominican order, with lilies, a crown of thorns on her head and stigmata, and carrying a book. She is sometimes depicted at the moment of her mystical nuptial with Jesus or with her heart in her hand. These are the basic attributes she comes with. The lilies symbolize purity, the crown of thorns - worship to the Passion of Christ, and the holes in her hands - the stigmata with which she was endowed, while the book - her works that she left behind. In her case, it is very special, since she was illiterate almost all her life, only able to put her signature and write a few words, and at that time, in addition to Dialogues and Prayers, she wrote many letters to various clergy and lay personalities. In some images, Catherine is also depicted with skull and crossbones, which speak of the saint's special mortification. But the cross also alludes to an event in Catherine's life. When she came out of the convent, she saw a poor man asking for alms. Catherine, having no money, offered him a silver cross. A few days later, during ecstasy, she saw this cross on Christ's chest. This reassured her that the poor person asking for support was Christ. Another version says that Christ appeared to Catherine and put a cross around her neck, gave her an olive branch and instructed her to bring peace among people. Christ is also depicted as a child who placed a ring (wedding ring) on her finger as a sign of mystical nuptials (this vision took place in 1367). Finally, mention should be made of the attribute of the dove, a reminder of the difficulties Catherine experienced because of her father's disagreement with her joining the order; he changed his mind only when he saw the dove over his daughter's praying head.