A European Informational Website
learn more
Saint Angela Merici (1474? - 1540) was an Italian religious leader and saint born in Desenzano del Garda, Brescia, Lombardy. She founded the Order of Ursulines in 1535 in Brescia. Merici was beatified in 1768 by Clement XIII and canonized in 1807 by Pius VII. She is buried in the Church of St. Afra at Brescia and her Catholic feast day is January 27. Before the revision of the calendar of saints following the Second Vatican Council, her feast day was May 31, but moved to June 1 in 1954 when Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen.
St. Angela was born on March 21st, 1474 at Desenzano, a small town on the southwestern shore of Lake Garda in Lombardy. She and her older sister were left orphans when she was about ten years old. Together they came to live with their uncle in the town of Salo where they led an angelic life. Young Angela was very distressed when her sister suddenly died without receiving the last sacraments. She joined the Third Order of St. Francis, and increased her prayers to God so her sister’s soul could rest in peace. It is said that she was satisfied by a vision that her sister was in company of the saints in heaven. Her uncle died when she was twenty years old and she returned to her previous home in Desenzano. Angela believed that better Christian education was needed for young girls; she then dedicated her time teaching girls in her home, which she had converted into a school. One day, while she was in ecstasy, she had another vision that revealed to her that she was to found an association of virgins who were to devote their lives to the religious training of young girls. This was a success and she was invited to start another school in the neighboring city, Brescia. She happily accepted this offer. In 1524, while traveling to the Holy Land, she became suddenly blind when she was on the island of Crete. Faithfully ignoring this obstacle, Angela continued her journey to the Holy Places and was cured of sightlessness on her return, while praying before a crucifix, at the same place where she was struck with blindness a few weeks before. In 1525, she came to Rome to gain the indulgences. While doing this task, Pope Clement VII, who had heard of her holiness and success with her school, invited her to remain in Rome. Because Angela disliked publicity, she returned to Brescia. On November 25th, 1535, she chose twelve virgins and started the foundation of the Ursulines near the church of St. Afra in a small house in Brescia. Five years later she died on January 27th.
She was beatified in 1768, by Clement XIII, and canonized in 1807, by Pius VII.
Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. The Penguin Dictionary of Saints. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0-140-51312-4.