Angela de Merici was born to virtuous parents at Decenzano (a town in the diocese of Verona near Lake Benago in Venetian territory) in 1474. At the age of 15 she and her sister Giana Maria became orphaned and went to live with an uncle. Giana died suddenly without receiving the Last Rites. From a young age Angela was determined to keep her virginity forever. She had a thorough contempt for those outward deckings on which so many women set their hearts. She purposely disfigured the beauty of her features and hair that she might find no favour except with the Spouse of our souls. When her parents died she sought to retire into a desert that she might lead a life of penance, but being prevented by her uncle she did at home what she was not permitted to do in a wilderness: she frequently wore a hair-shirt, and took the discipline. She never eat flesh-meat except in case of sickness. She never drank wine except at Christmas and Easter. Sometimes she passed whole days without any food.
Angela spent much time in prayer, very little in sleep, and she slept on the ground. The devil having once appeared to her in the form of an angel of light, she at once detected his craft and put him to flight. At length, having resigned her right to the fortune left her by her parents, she embraced the rule of the Third Order of Saint Francis, received the habit and united evangelical poverty to the merit of virginity. She showed her neighbour every kind office in her power and gave the poor a portion of her own food, which she procured by begging. She gladly served the sick. She gained the reputation of great sanctity in several places which she visited either that she might comfort the afflicted, or obtain pardon for criminals, or reconcile them that were at variance, or reclaim sinners from the sink of crime. She had a singular hungering after the Bread of Angels, which she frequently received. And such was the vehemence of her love of God, that she was often in a state of ecstasy.
Angela visited the Holy Places of Palestine with extraordinary devotion. During her pilgrimage, she lost her sight on landing on the isle of Candia, but recovered it when leaving. She also miraculously escaped shipwreck and falling into the hands of barbarians. During the pontificate of Pope Clement VII she went to Rome to venerate the Rock of the Church and gain the Jubilee Indulgence. The Pope had an interview with her, and at once discovered her sanctity and spoke of her to others in terms of highest praise. After returning to Brescia she took a house near the Church of Saint Afra. There, by God’s command made known to her by a voice from Heaven and by a vision, she instituted a new society of virgins under a special discipline and holy rules which she drew up. She put her Institute (the Company of Saint Ursula) (commonly called “the Angelines”) under the title and patronage of Saint Ursula, the leader of the army of virgins. Shortly before her death Angela foretold that this Institute would last to the end of the world.
Angela died on the 27th of January 1540 and her body, which lies in the Church of Saint Afra in Brescia, was kept 30 days before being put in the grave, and preserved the flexibility and appearance of a living body. Many miracles were wrought at her tomb. The rumour of these miracles spread not only through Brescia and Decenzano, but also in other places. The name of Blessed was soon given to Angela, and her image was put on altars. Saint Charles Borromeo, a few years after Angela’s death, affirmed, while preaching at Brescia, that she was worthy of canonisation. In 1768 Clement XIII ratified and confirmed the devotion thus paid her by the Faithful, which had already received the approbation of several bishops, and the encouragement of several Indults of Sovereign Pontiffs. Finally, after several new miracles had been juridically proved, Pope Pius VII enrolled Angela in the list of holy virgins, in the solemn canonisation celebrated in the Vatican Basilica on the 24th of May 1807.
The Angelines are a secular institute of women who remain in the world and live celibate lives in their own homes. There is also a monastic Order of Saint Ursula, which became a closed religious order in 1572 at the insistence of Saint Charles Borromeo who was then the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan. The largest order of Ursuline religious are those of the Roman Union.
Angela spent much time in prayer, very little in sleep, and she slept on the ground. The devil having once appeared to her in the form of an angel of light, she at once detected his craft and put him to flight. At length, having resigned her right to the fortune left her by her parents, she embraced the rule of the Third Order of Saint Francis, received the habit and united evangelical poverty to the merit of virginity. She showed her neighbour every kind office in her power and gave the poor a portion of her own food, which she procured by begging. She gladly served the sick. She gained the reputation of great sanctity in several places which she visited either that she might comfort the afflicted, or obtain pardon for criminals, or reconcile them that were at variance, or reclaim sinners from the sink of crime. She had a singular hungering after the Bread of Angels, which she frequently received. And such was the vehemence of her love of God, that she was often in a state of ecstasy.
Angela visited the Holy Places of Palestine with extraordinary devotion. During her pilgrimage, she lost her sight on landing on the isle of Candia, but recovered it when leaving. She also miraculously escaped shipwreck and falling into the hands of barbarians. During the pontificate of Pope Clement VII she went to Rome to venerate the Rock of the Church and gain the Jubilee Indulgence. The Pope had an interview with her, and at once discovered her sanctity and spoke of her to others in terms of highest praise. After returning to Brescia she took a house near the Church of Saint Afra. There, by God’s command made known to her by a voice from Heaven and by a vision, she instituted a new society of virgins under a special discipline and holy rules which she drew up. She put her Institute (the Company of Saint Ursula) (commonly called “the Angelines”) under the title and patronage of Saint Ursula, the leader of the army of virgins. Shortly before her death Angela foretold that this Institute would last to the end of the world.
Angela died on the 27th of January 1540 and her body, which lies in the Church of Saint Afra in Brescia, was kept 30 days before being put in the grave, and preserved the flexibility and appearance of a living body. Many miracles were wrought at her tomb. The rumour of these miracles spread not only through Brescia and Decenzano, but also in other places. The name of Blessed was soon given to Angela, and her image was put on altars. Saint Charles Borromeo, a few years after Angela’s death, affirmed, while preaching at Brescia, that she was worthy of canonisation. In 1768 Clement XIII ratified and confirmed the devotion thus paid her by the Faithful, which had already received the approbation of several bishops, and the encouragement of several Indults of Sovereign Pontiffs. Finally, after several new miracles had been juridically proved, Pope Pius VII enrolled Angela in the list of holy virgins, in the solemn canonisation celebrated in the Vatican Basilica on the 24th of May 1807.
The Angelines are a secular institute of women who remain in the world and live celibate lives in their own homes. There is also a monastic Order of Saint Ursula, which became a closed religious order in 1572 at the insistence of Saint Charles Borromeo who was then the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan. The largest order of Ursuline religious are those of the Roman Union.
The Company of Ursula (Brescia): http://www.angelamerici.it/
Dom Prosper Gueranger:
The sixteenth century, which a few days back offered to our Risen Lord the seraphic Magdalene de Pazzi, now presents Him with this second fruit of heroic sanctity. Angela [de Merici] realised the whole meaning of her beautiful name. In a mortal body she possessed the purity of the blessed Spirits, and imitated their celestial energy by the vigorous practice of every virtue. This heroine of grace trampled beneath her feet everything that could impede her heavenward march. Gifted at an early age with the highest contemplation, she bravely travelled to Palestine, there to venerate the footsteps of her Divine Spouse Jesus. After this, she visited the new Jerusalem — Rome — and offered up her fervent prayers at the Confession of Saint Peter. She then entered into her rest, and founded a Religious Order, which is and will be to the end of time, one of the glories and aids of Holy Church.
The thought of the great Saint Ursula and her virginal Legion made a deep impression on Angela’s soul, and she too would form to our Lord an army of valiant women. Ursula confronted the barbarian host. Angela would give battle to the world and to its seductions, which are so dangerous to young girls. God blessed her with victory. As a trophy of her combats she can point to the countless generations of young people whom her Order has saved during the last [four] centuries, by giving them a solid Christian education.
* * * * *
You fought the battles of our Lord, Angela, and your holy labours merited for you a glorious rest in the mansions of eternal bliss. An insatiable zeal for the honour of the Jesus whom you had chosen as your Spouse, and an ardent charity for the creatures redeemed by His Precious Blood — these were the characteristics of your whole life. This love of your neighbour made you the mother of a countless progeny, for who can number the young children that have been educated in sound doctrine and piety by your Daughters? You powerfully contributed to the welfare of Christian society by thus preparing so many for the duties of domestic life, and how many other Congregations, in imitation of your Ursulines, have taken up the same admirable work, and have brought consolation to the Church and happiness to the world?
The Sovereign Pontiff ordered that your feast should be kept throughout the whole Church. He declared, in issuing this Decree, that he wished to put under your maternal protection the young girls who are nowadays exposed to such fearful dangers by the enemies of Christ and His Church. They have formed the project of undermining the faith of women, that so their good influence may be destroyed in their families. Disconcert these impious plans, O Angela! Protect your sex. Nourish within it the sentiment of the dignity of Christian Woman, and society may still be saved. We address ourselves to you, O Spouse of Christ, that you would aid us to fervour in the Liturgical Year in which we are made to follow in the path that was so dear to you. Your devotion in following the Divine Mysteries which are successively brought before us, led you to visit the Holy Land. You longed to see Nazareth and Bethlehem, to traverse Galilee and Judea, to give thanks in the Cenacle, to weep on Calvary, and to adore the glorious Sepulchre. Deign to bless our feeble desires and efforts to tread in these same holy paths. We have still to follow you to Mount Olivet, where our Redeemer ascended into Heaven. We have to return to the Cenacle, which the Holy Ghost is preparing to light up with His Divine Fire. Obtain for us, O Angela, that we may follow you to these hallowed spots, which made you quit your country and undertake a long and perilous pilgrimage. Oh prepare our hearts for the sublime Mysteries which are to crown our Paschal Season!
Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
At Rome, St. Juventius, martyr.
At Caesarea in Palestine, blessed Pamphilus, priest and martyr, a man of remarkable sanctity and learning, and great charity to the poor. In the persecution of Galerius Maximian he was tortured for the faith of Christ under the governor Urbanus, and thrown into prison. Then, being again subjected to torments under Firmilian, he consummated his martyrdom with others. With them suffered also Valens, deacon, and Paul, and nine others, whose commemoration occurs on other days.
At Autun, the Saints Reverian, bishop, and Paul, priest, with ten others, who were crowned with martyrdom under the emperor Aurelian.
In Cappadocia, in the time of the emperor Alexander and the prefect Simplicius, the holy martyr Thespesius who, after undergoing many torments, was beheaded.
In Egypt, under the emperor Diocletian, the holy martyrs Ischyrion, military officer, and five other soldiers who were put to death in different manners for the faith of Christ.
Also St. Firmus, martyr, who was scourged most severely, struck with stones, and finally decapitated during the persecution of Maximian.
At Perugia, the holy martyrs Felinus and Gratinian, soldiers under Decius, who were variously tortured and thus by a glorious death won the palm of martyrdom.
At Bologna, St. Proculus, martyr, who suffered under the emperor Maximian.
At Amelia, in the reign of Diocletian, St. Secundus, martyr, who consummated his martyrdom by being thrown into the river Tiber.
At Città-di-Castello in Umbria, St. Crescentian, a Roman soldier, crowned with martyrdom under the same emperor.
In Umbria, St. Fortunatus, a priest renowned for virtues and miracles.
In the monastery of Lerins, the abbot St. Caprasius.
At Treves, St. Simeon, monk, who was added to the number of the saints by Pope Benedict IX.
At Burgos in Spain, in the monastery of Onia, St. Eneco, Benedictine abbot, illustrious by his sanctity and miracles.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
