ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN NOVEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 23rd of November
BLESSED MARGARET OF SAVOY, WIDOW
Blessed Margaret of Savoy, Marchioness of Montferrat, was born at Pignerol in 1382. She was the only daughter of Louis of Savoy, Prince of Achaia, and of Bonne, daughter of Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy, and was given in marriage in 1403 to Theodore, Marquis of Montferrat, a descendant of the Greek emperors, the Palaeologi, and widower of Jeanne, daughter of the duke of Bar and of Lorraine.
SHE DECIDED TO ABANDON THE WORLD
Her piety, already great, increased after she had heard the preaching of St Vincent Ferrer, who spent several months in Montferrat.
Therefore, when she was left a widow in 1418, she decided to abandon the world.
SHE JOINED THE THIRD ORDER OF ST DOMINIC
Leaving the direction of the affairs of the marquisate to Jean-Jacques, the son of her husband by his first marriage, she retired to Alba where she joined the Third Order of St Dominic.
A little later, Philip Maria, duke of Milan, asked her hand in marriage and begged the pope to relieve her of her vow.
SHE FOUNDED A MONASTERY
But Margaret opposed a formal refusal to this request and thoroughly resolved to give herself entirely to God: with several young women of rank, she founded a monastery and placed it under the rule of the order of St Dominic.
Redoubling her mortifications she made rapid progress in the way of perfection and died in a saintly manner at Alba, November 23, 1464.
On December 13, 1464, her remains were placed in a simple tomb; in 1481 they were transferred to a different and much more beautiful sepulchre built in her monastery at the expense of William, Marquis of Montferrat.
(From "Catholic Encyclopedia", 1913)
PRAYER:
God of holiness, you taught Blessed Margaret to leave the royal court and to follow you in humility. Following her example may we learn to cherish what is divine and to overcome all adversities through love of your cross. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ...
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