Saint Catherine of Ricci, virgin
Saint Catherine of Ricci was one of the greatest saints of the Middle Ages. She was born in Florence, from an illustrious family, and from a very early age God instilled in her heart a great love of prayer and other practices of piety. At the age of seven she was entrusted to the nuns of the Monticelli convent.
After she had intimate contact with religious life, she became so attached to it that, even when she had to return home, she maintained the convent's customs. Against the young girl's wishes, her father wanted to marry her to a boy, but Catherine insisted so much that the family gave up on the plan and allowed her to take the habit of the Dominican Order, at the age of fourteen. Thus, Catherine effected the definitive separation from the world and from the first moment she began to acquire the virtues of a perfect nun.
Catherine possessed characteristics such as humility, work and devotion that made her an excellent superior. She governed by the good practice of virtues and inspired the Sisters to follow her example. When he began meditating on the Sacred Passion and Death of Jesus, he went into ecstasy, which lasted until the next day.
The Sisters also observed that, after receiving Holy Communion, Catherine seemed surrounded by light and her body rose above the bed. She punished her own body with harsh mortifications and ate nothing but bread and water, but devoted the greatest attention to the Sisters.
The saint also possessed extraordinary graces, such as the gift of prophecy, the knowledge of hidden things, the cure of illnesses and the multiplication of supplies in favor of the poor. Holy Mary still deigned to appear to her and printed the signs of the wounds on her hands, feet and side.
At the end of her life, Catherine was stricken with very serious and painful illnesses, but with great devotion she received the last sacraments.
She died on February 11, 1590, having been canonized in 1746, pontificate of Benedict XIV.
References: 1. https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1421 2. https://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/r/ricci_santa_catarina.htm