St. Maria Maddalena de Pazzi

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi was born at Florence, Italy, on April 2, 1566. She was christened Caterina, but in the family was called Lucrezia, out of respect for her paternal grandmother, Lucrezia Mannucci. Even as a girl Caterina was attracted to prayer, solitude, and penance. At the age of nine Pazzi was taught how to meditate by the family chaplain, using a recently published work explaining how one should meditate on the Passion of Christ. Years later, this book was one of the items she brought with her to the monastery. She made her First Communion at the then-early age of 10 and made a vow of virginity one month later. She experienced her first ecstasy when she was only twelve, in her mother's presence. From then on, she continued to exhibit many varied mystical experiences. In 1580, at age fourteen, Pazzi was sent by her father to be educated at a monastery of nuns of the Order of Malta, but she was soon recalled to wed a young nobleman. Caterina advised her father of her vow, and he eventually relented and allowed her to enter monastic life. She chose the Carmelite Monastery of St. Mary of the Angels in Florence because the rule there allowed her to receive Holy Communion daily. In 1583 she was accepted as a novice by that community, and given the religious name of Sister Mary Magdalene. Pazzi had been a novice for a year when she became critically ill. Upon receiving the religious habit, her heart was filled with an ardent desire to suffer for Jesus. One of the sisters asked her how she could bear so much pain without a murmur. Mary pointed to the crucifix and said: “Those who call to mind the sufferings of Christ, and who offer up their own to God through His passion, find their pains sweet and pleasant.” Death seemed near, so her superiors let her make her profession of religious vows in a private ceremony, while lying on a cot in the chapel. However, she did not die and lived until she reached the age of 41. Throughout the years, she received many revelations and fell into ecstasy frequently. She dictated her revelations to the sisters filling six books. She was buried in the choir of the monastery chapel. When the nuns moved from the site, they took the saint’s body with them. Today it rests in a glass casket in the Monastery of Santa Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi in Careggi, in the hills to the north of her native city. Her feast is May 25.