Catherine of Siena

Published on Updated on Catholic, Doctor of the Church, Fasting, Mystic, Woman

Catherine of Siena is an outstanding figure of the medieval era. She was a mystic, author, stigmatist, saint, and Doctor of the Church.

 

 

Caterina di Jacopo di Benincasa was born in Italy in 1347. When she was five or six years old, she had a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ.

At age seven, Catherine vowed to give her whole life to God. From age seven to 16, she spent almost all her time alone, in prayer and meditation and fasting.

Her parents pressured her to get married and become a mother, but she resisted. To make her point, she cut her hair very short. She also resisted becoming a nun.

At the age of 21, Catherine experienced “Mystical Marriage” with Jesus.

 

Catherine became a lay member of the Dominican Order. That allowed her to be affiliated with a religious society, while living on her own, apart from the Order.

She gave food and clothing to people in need.

Catherine often visited people who were poor or sick. Her ministry quickly attracted followers who helped her.

In 1374 she traveled to Florence. Then she began traveling with her followers throughout northern and central Italy.

She preached a crusade of reform of the clergy. She called people to a total love for God.

In 1375, Catherine was in Pisa. She received the stigmata, the wounds in her hands and feet like Jesus had. From that point on, she dictated letters to be sent to people in positions of power.

In June 1376, Catherine was named the Ambassador to France. She traveled to Avignon, where she probably influenced pope Gregory XI to return to Rome.

 

In 1378, three men claimed to be the pope. This problem is called the Great Western Schism.

Pope Urban VI asked Catherine to come to Rome. She stayed at his court and tried to resolve the schism.

Catherine was long accustomed to rigorous fasting. Her health had been declining. By 1380, she could not eat. Nor could she swallow water.

Catherine died on April 29, 1380. She was thirty-three years old.

In her brief 33 years, Catherine of Siena was a mystic and an acclaimed preacher and wrote extensively. She was an ambassador and saint and Doctor of the Church. She resolved the Avignon Papacy and was requested by the pope to end the Great Western Schism.

 

Catherine of Siena was canonized a saint in 1461. In 1970, she was named a Doctor of the Church.

The Memorial of Catherine of Siena is observed each year on April 29.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.