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St. Gemma Galgani

刊登日期: 2017.05.13
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Personal Details

Feast Day : 11 April
Born : 12 March 1878
Died : 11 April 1903
Beatified : 1933
Canonized : 1940

St. Gemma was an Italian living in a Tuscan City. She died at the age of only 25.

St. Gemma was born on 12 March 1878. She was the eldest daughter and had seven brothers and sisters. Her father died when Gemma was aged 19. She alone had to look after her seven brothers and sisters and her life was very hard.

When young, Gemma wished to become a nun but her poor health prevented her from being accepted. She offered this disappointment to God as a sacrifice. Gemma was diagnosed with congenital meningitis and the doctor said that her illness was incurable. Surprisingly, the angel Gabriel appeared to her one day and she was miraculously cured.

St. Gemma always had some special grace from God. She had many ecstasies while praying, and could see visions. On 8 June 1899, Gemma had an interior warning that some unusual grace was to be granted to her. Each Thursday evening, the marks of stigmata would appear on her body. The stigmata would remain until Friday afternoon or Saturday morning when the bleeding would stop and the wounds would close. The stigmata continued to appear until the last three years of her life.

Throughout her life, Gemma had to live with many hardships: body weakness and sickness, poverty and the mockery by others because of her great love for God. Nevertheless, she adhered to her good virtues and led a life loving God and her neighbors. St. Gemma died peacefully on 11 April 1903 at the age of 25. She was beatified in 1933 and canonized in 1940.

Little Quiz

Think for a while, can you use one sentence to illustrate the life of St. Gemma?
Do you know what were “the stigmata” that St. Gemma received? Please find out.