Blessed Alda
Blessed Alda of Siena (born c. 1249 AD in Siena, Tuscany, Italy; died April 26, 1309 AD in Siena, Tuscany, Italy) was a Sienese laywoman and Franciscan tertiary who, after the death of her husband, devoted herself entirely to prayer, penance, and care of the sick and poor. She was known for mystical gifts including visions and levitation. She was beatified by Pope Pius VI in 1782. Her feast day is April 26.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Alda
| Blessed Alda | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | April 26 |
| Profession | Laywoman; married woman (widowed); Franciscan tertiary; contemplative mystic; charitable servant of the poor and sick |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Franciscan Third Order (Secular Franciscans); 13th–14th century Sienese lay holiness; Diocese of Siena |
| Patronage | Siena; Tuscany; widows; Franciscan tertiaries; the poor and sick; mystics |
| Attributes | Franciscan tertiary habit (simple grey or brown); lily or rose (purity); Sienese city landscape; a beggar or sick person (her charity); a flame or light (her mystical gifts) |
| Birthplace | Siena, Tuscany, Italy |
| Death Place | Siena, Tuscany, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died April 26, 1309, in Siena; she was approximately 60 years old; she had spent her widowhood of many decades in prayer, penance, and service to the poor and the sick; she was known for mystical gifts; she died peacefully at Siena; her body was venerated; her beatification by Pius VI came in 1782 |
| Primary Shrine | Siena, Tuscany — local veneration; April 26 feast; Church of the Franciscan tradition |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; April 26 feast in Siena and Tuscany |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Alda (also known as Alda Aldobrandeschi) was born c. 1249 in Siena, Tuscany. She married and lived a devout lay life. After the death of her husband, she entered the Franciscan Third Order and devoted herself entirely to prayer, penance, and service to the poor and sick.
She was known for mystical gifts — visions and levitation during prayer — and for personal charity to the most destitute of Siena.
She died April 26, 1309, in Siena. She belongs to the great Sienese tradition of lay holiness that also produced Saint Catherine of Siena and other mystics of 13th–14th century Tuscany. She was beatified by Pope Pius VI in 1782.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Siena, Tuscany, Italy
Death location: Siena, Tuscany, Italy
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Alda of Siena have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Feast day
April 26
Veneration
Blessed Alda of Siena was a 13th–14th century Sienese laywoman and Franciscan tertiary who, as a widow, devoted herself to mystical prayer and care of the poor. Known for visions and levitation. Beatified Pius VI 1782. Feast April 26.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.