Magdalena De Pazzi

Magdalena De Pazzi a saint of the Romish Church, was born at Florence April 2, 1566. She belonged to one of the highest families in Tuscany: was educated in the convent of the Hospitable Nuns of St. John the Little; refused to marry, and, May 27, 1584, took the veil in the Carmelite convent of St. Mary of the Angels. Her name, hitherto Catharine de Gere de' Pazzi, was now changed to Maria Magdalena. She became wild in her religious enthusiasm, claimed to have visions, and to hold converse with the angels, with the Virgin, and even with Christ himself. She filled divers offices in her convent, and died May 25. 1607. Pope Urban VIII in the same year beatified her, and in 1669 she was canonized by Alexander VII. Her biography was written by her confessor Puccini, and her works were collected by the Carmelite Salvi of Bologna (Ven. 1739). See Bolland, ad 25 Maii; Baillet, Vies des Saints; Richard et Giraud, Bibliotheque Sacrae; Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 8:662; Hoefer, Nouv.Biog. Gen., 32:615.