St. Gemma Galgani

Gemma Galgani was born near Lucca, Italy on March 12, 1878 and learned from her pious mother to love prayer at an early age. Her mother died when Gemma was young and Gemma had to leave school before finishing because of chronic ill health. When she was nineteen her father died; Gemma helped care for her younger siblings and gave what help she could to the poor. Later she went to live with other relatives. Gemma had many mystical experiences from an early age and she was frequently ill. The intercession of the then Venerable Gabriel Possenti cured her of meningitis and Gemma developed a love for the Passionists, wishing to become a Passionist nun, but the order thought her health was too fragile. In June 1899, Gemma received the Stigmata, which was only visible from late Thursday through Saturday each week as Gemma meditated on the Passion. Gemma predicted her own death and she died of tuberculosis on Holy Saturday in 1903. She was canonized in 1940. Her feast day is April 11.