St. Fina

Fina, also known as Seraphina, was born in San Geminiano, Tuscany. Her parents were extremely poor, though they had once been better off. A beautiful, charitable girl, Fina gave part of her meager food to the poor, helped her parents by spinning and sewing, and prayed late at night. It is thought her father died when she was a child and that Fina fell gravely ill shortly after his death. She became paralyzed and her mother had to leave her alone for hours, while she worked or begged. Fina bore her suffering patiently for the love of Christ; she sought to imitate Him on the cross by laying on a plank, rather than a bed. She suffered this way for six years helped only by her mother and a young friend. When her mother died, she was left alone with only her friend Beldia to care for her. Neighbors tried to help, but they were repulsed by Fina’s loathsome sores. Someone told of the sufferings of St. Gregory the Great and she prayed to him to intercede with God so that she might bear her suffering with patience. In 1253, St. Gregory appeared to her eight days before her death and told her that she would die on his feast day, which she did. After her death, the board she had lain on was found covered with white violets and many miracles, including the healing of Beldia’s injured arm were wrought through her intercession. St. Fina’s feast day is March 12.