Saint Maria Magdalen Dei Pazzi
Saint Maria Magdalen dei Pazzi (born April 2, 1566 AD in Florence, Tuscany, Italy; died May 25, 1607 AD in Florence, Tuscany, Italy) was a Florentine Carmelite nun celebrated for her mystical ecstasies, visions, and sufferings. Born Caterina de' Pazzi into a noble Florentine family, she entered the Carmelite convent of Santa Maria degli Angeli at Florence and spent her entire religious life there. She experienced remarkable mystical states including ecstasies lasting hours during which she spoke of divine realities; five years of interior desolation; and union with Christ's Passion. She was canonized in 1669. Her feast day is May 25.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Maria Magdalen Dei Pazzi
| Saint Maria Magdalen Dei Pazzi | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | May 25 |
| Profession | Discalced Carmelite nun; mystic; ecstatic; author (by dictation) of mystical works |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Carmelite Order (Calced Carmelites); Florence; Florentine nobility (Pazzi family); Carmelite mysticism |
| Patronage | Naples; Florence; Carmelite Order; mystics; those suffering interior spiritual desolation; the sick |
| Attributes | Carmelite white mantle; ecstatic pose; crown of thorns; crucifix; glass reliquary (her incorrupt body); lily; Florence |
| Birthplace | Florence, Tuscany, Italy |
| Death Place | Florence, Tuscany, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural death after years of illness; died May 25, 1607, at Florence; she had been ill for years before her death; her body was found incorrupt after death |
| Primary Shrine | Church of Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi (Santissima Annunziata del Cestello), Oltrarno, Florence — her incorrupt body in a glass reliquary; a major pilgrimage site in Florence; open to visitors; thousands of pilgrims annually |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Rite); May 25 |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; widely observed in the Carmelite tradition and in Florence and Naples |
Biography
Maria Magdalen dei Pazzi was born Caterina de' Pazzi on April 2, 1566, in Florence, into one of the great noble families of the city. She felt a call to the religious life from childhood and entered the Carmelite convent of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Florence at age 16 in 1582.
Almost from the beginning of her novitiate she experienced mystical ecstasies of extraordinary intensity. She would fall into ecstasy during the Divine Office or Eucharistic adoration and speak for hours; her sisters recorded her words, producing the corpus of her mystical writings.
From 1585 to 1590 she endured five years of severe spiritual desolation — an interior dark night during which she felt abandoned by God. She persevered through this period and emerged with deeper mystical union.
She died on May 25, 1607. Her body was found incorrupt.
Pope Urban VIII beatified her in 1626. Pope Clement IX canonized her in 1669.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Death location: Florence, Tuscany, Italy
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Church of Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi, Florence — her incorrupt body in a glass reliquary.
Feast day
May 25
Veneration
Saint Maria Magdalen dei Pazzi is venerated in the Carmelite Order and throughout Italy. Her incorrupt body is displayed at Florence. She was canonized in 1669.
Prayers
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