MIRACULOUS MIRACLES™

Blessed — Antonia of Florence

All Saints
Bl. Antonia of Florence
c. 1400 AD, Florence, Republic of Florence (bourgeois Florentine family) — February 29, 1472 AD, L'Aquila, Kingdom of Naples
Franciscan Third Order Regular foundress at L'Aquila; Italian Poor Clare Colettine reformer
Church of San Bernardino, L'Aquila, Italy — the Franciscan basilica preserving the Antonia shrine, Italy
Feast
February 28 (Franciscan calendar)
Canonized
Beatified September 17, 1847 by Pope Pius IX
Life

Antonia was born around 1400 at Florence to a bourgeois Florentine family. Widowed twice in her young married life, Antonia undertook the Franciscan Third Order Regular vocation.

Around 1430, Antonia entered the Franciscan Third Order Regular Convent of Sant'Onofrio at Foligno — the Angelina of Marsciano foundation (see her entry).

In 1447, Antonia was appointed abbess of the Franciscan Third Order Regular Convent of Corpus Domini at L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of the Kingdom of Naples. She served as abbess until her death in 1472.

Under the spiritual direction of St. John of Capistrano (1386–1456, Franciscan Observant preacher, see his existing entry), Antonia undertook the transition of the Corpus Domini convent from the Franciscan Third Order Regular to the Poor Clare Colettine strict-observance discipline — producing the Italian Poor Clare Colettine reform.

She died at L'Aquila on February 29, 1472.

Miracles & Phenomena

  • The Italian Poor Clare Colettine reform

    Bl. Antonia of Florence's transition of the Corpus Domini convent at L'Aquila from the Franciscan Third Order Regular to the Poor Clare Colettine strict-observance discipline — under the spiritual direction of St. John of Capistrano — institutionally produced the Italian Poor Clare Colettine reform. The Poor Clare Colettine reform — originating with St. Colette of Corbie (1381–1447, Northern French Poor Clare reformer, see her existing entry) — extended through the Antonia foundation into the Italian Poor Clare tradition.

Relics
  • Body
    Relics of Bl. Antonia of Florence
    Church of San Bernardino, L'Aquila, Italy — Franciscan basilica

    Her relics rest at the Church of San Bernardino at L'Aquila in the Franciscan basilica.

Iconography
  • Antonia receiving direction from John of Capistrano

    The mid-15th-century Franciscan Third Order Regular abbess in Franciscan habit at the Convent of Corpus Domini at L'Aquila receiving spiritual direction from St. John of Capistrano — the iconography of Catholic Italian Poor Clare Colettine reform tradition.

Patronages
Franciscan Third Order Regular for women (in institutional continuity with Bl. Angelina of Marsciano)Poor Clare Colettine traditionL'Aquila and the Abruzzese Catholic tradition
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