MARIA VILLANI, VIRGIN - 26 MARCH

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH

Saints celebrated on the 26th of March

SERVANT OF GOD MARIA VILLANI

This Servant of God was born in Naples on September 18, 1584. In holy baptism she received the name Beatrix. Her father was Johann Villani, Count of Polla; the mother's name was Portia di Costanzo. 

PENANCES

From childhood onwards she demonstrated extraordinary holiness. Already at the age of five she practiced penances of every kind, especially flogging to the point of blood. She would have fled to live in the desert, if the vigilance of her household hadn't prevented her. A serious illness, from which she miraculously recovered, forced her to give it up. 

ALMSGIVING

But as a nun of the Dominican Order she practiced the earlier works of penance with the usual severity, only with more plan and order. Even as a child, giving alms had been a dear occupation for her, and it is said that the bread and milk which she gave to the poor increased wonderfully. 

OBEDIENCE

Above all, in the order of the Dominicans she practiced obedience in such a perfect way that she was said to have no will of her own. Even when the confessor, in order to test her, commanded her to do things contrary to the order of nature, he always found her willing to obey. She had divided the year into six different periods of fasting, including those required by the Church and the rules of the Order, so that she almost always had a fast day. 

THE NEW MONASTERY

In a vision, the Lord commanded her to build a new house with strict observance of the Rule. In this endeavour she had to contend with enemies without number, in the monastery and in the world. But she endured all these sufferings with superhuman patience and through suffering she attained victory. 

HER BOOKS

She lived in a state of regular communication with her heavenly Bridegroom. From him she received inner instruction on the greatest mysteries of faith. She wrote a book on the Eucharist, which she called Pancratium electorum, another on the Passion of Jesus, which she called Paradisus animae, and another on love for God, which she called de tribus titled Divinis flammis. 

HER HOLY DEATH

In spite of this strenuous activity and the penance that was never suspended, she reached the age of 86 and died on March 26, 1670 with a reputation for holiness. Her body after death was youthfully fresh and blooming, as if ripe for the future resurrection. When it was opened, her heart's blood flowed as warm and pure as that of a healthy, living human being. The same was carefully preserved in two jars in the monastery of Divine Love.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858 - 📷 March 26, Stammenbuch aller Heyligen und Seeligen... Fortunatus Hueber)