Saint Veronica Giuliani, born in Mercatelli, was a woman deeply dedicated to her faith and whose desire to emulate Christ was so strong that it was answered with the stigmata. As her mother, Benedetta, lay on her deathbed, she entrusted each of her five daughters to one of the five wounds of Jesus. Veronica was given the sacred task of looking after the wound below Christ’s heart.

At a young age of 17, Veronica renounced worldly life and joined the Poor Clares, a monastic order under the guidance of the Capuchins. Her father initially hoped for her to get married, but she persuaded him to let her follow her spiritual calling instead. During her early years at the monastery, Veronica served humbly, fulfilling roles in the kitchen, infirmary, sacristy, and also as a portress. At 34, she was appointed the novice mistress, a role she dedicated herself to for the next 22 years.

When Veronica turned 37, she experienced a life-changing event – she received the stigmata, and her life took a significant turn thereafter. The Church authorities in Rome, seeking to verify Veronica’s authenticity, launched an investigation. This led to her temporary removal from her role as novice mistress and restricted her participation in Mass to only Sundays and holy days. Despite these challenges, Veronica bore no bitterness and continued to devote herself to her spiritual duties. Eventually, the investigation concluded in her favor, and she was reinstated as novice mistress.

Even though she initially resisted, Veronica was elected as the abbess at the age of 56, a position she dutifully served for 11 years until her death. Her devotion was particularly strong towards the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart, and she often offered her sufferings for the betterment of the missions. In recognition of her unwavering faith and service, Veronica was canonized in 1839.

Photo credit: Randy Greve via Flickr
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10 COMMENTS

  1. […] Edited to add: Ha! Funny enough, when I was writing this last night I almost included a bit about St. Veronica Giuliani, just as an example of a saint with the name. I decided not to, but then this morning (July 10) I saw on Facebook that today is the feast of St. Veronica Giuliani! You can read more about her here. […]

  2. Saint Veronica Giuliani, please pray for all the people that is going through suffering and difficulty in this life.

  3. How did Veronica Giuliani ‘receive’ the stigmata? Why did the church put her under investigation?

    Am just trying to understand the story/mystery?

    Thank you. God Bless.

  4. Dear St. Veronica Giulliani,

    You endured so much in your lifetime, and I will pray for you. Please pray for the world now with the coronavirus. May God bless you for your endurance, piety, and love of The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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