Antonia of Florence, Bl.
ANTONIA OF FLORENCE, BL.
Poor Clare; d. Aquila, Italy, Feb. 29, 1472. As a young widow she entered the convent of Third Order sisters founded in Florence by angelina of marsciano (1429), and later went on to Foligno. In 1432 she was made prioress at Aquila, an office she held for 13 years. Moved by the desire for a stricter rule of life, she consulted (St.) john capistran, and through his intercession was placed in charge of a cloister of poor clares. She was an example of patience under the trials of long, painful illness and of family difficulties, caused by a spend-thrift son and other relatives. Her cult was approved in 1847.
Feast: Feb. 28.
Bibliography: lÉon de clary, Lives of the Saints and Blessed of the Three Orders of St. Francis 2 (Taunton, Eng. 1885 –87). a. butler, The Lives of the Saints 1:446–447.
[n. g. wolf]