ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL Saints celebrated on the 9th of April BLESSED JULIA CERTALDINA, ANCHORESS Born at the beginning of the 14th century of respectable parents in Certaldo in Tuscany, Julia soon developed a great disgust for the world and its vanities. In order to be able to lead a humble, low-profile life regardless of her noble birth, she became a domestic maid in Florence. But she discovered that waiting on her employer, who called himself Tinolfi, prevented her from serving God. Therefore Julia then donned the habit of St Augustine instead, which was the outfit of the anchoresses in those days, and returned to Certaldo. On the journey she rescued a child from flames and and restored him to his parents safe and sound. Upon her arrival in Certaldo she locked herself in a small cell near the sacristy of St Michael's parish church, where she spent 30 years in penance and mortification. Serving her God in solitude, she was entirely unconcerned with food, and ...