Saint Angela Merici
Statue of Saint Angela Merici
founder of the Order of Ursulines
Born	21 March 1474, Desenzano, Lake Garda, Germany
Died	24 January 1540, Brescia, Italy
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	1768 by Pope Clement XIII
Canonized	1807 by Pope Pius VII
Major shrine	church of Saint Afra, Brescia, Italy
Feast	1 June
Attributes	cloak, ladder
Patronage	sickness, handicapped people, loss of parents
Saints Portal

Saint Angela Merici (1474? - 1540) was an Italian religious leader and saint born in Desenzano del Garda, Brescia, Lombardy. She founded the Order of Ursulines in 1535 in Brescia. Merici was beatified in 1768 by Clement XIII and canonized in 1807 by Pius VII. She is buried in the Church of St. Afra at Brescia and her Catholic feast day is January 27. Before the revision of the calendar of saints following the Second Vatican Council, her feast day was May 31, but moved to June 1 in 1954 when Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 424 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1372 × 1941 pixel, file size: 1. ... March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (81st in leap years). ... Events December 12 - Upon the death of Henry IV of Castile a civil war ensues between his designated successor Isabella I of Castile and her sister Juana who was supported by her husband, Alfonso V of Portugal. ... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1540 was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Clement XIII, born Carlo della Torre Rezzonico (Venice, March 7, 1693 – Rome, February 2, 1769), was Pope from 1758 to 1769. ... Icon of St. ... Year 1807 (MDCCCVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... Pope Pius VII, OSB (August 14, 1742—August 20, 1823), born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from March 14, 1800 to August 20, 1823. ... Eastern Orthodox shrine Buddhist shrine just outside Wat Phnom. ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more saints, and referring to the day as that saints day. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... Saint symbology was important to people who couldnt read because they can figure out what symbols mean. ... Saint Quentin is the patron saint of locksmiths and is also invoked against coughs and sneezes. ... Image File history File links Gloriole. ... Events December 12 - Upon the death of Henry IV of Castile a civil war ensues between his designated successor Isabella I of Castile and her sister Juana who was supported by her husband, Alfonso V of Portugal. ... Year 1540 was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are often depicted as having halos. ... Country Italy Region Lombardy Province Brescia (BS) Mayor Paolo Corsini (since June 10, 2003) Elevation 150 m Area 90 km² Population  - Total (as of December 31, 2004) 192,165  - Density 2,087/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Bresciani Dialing code 030 Postal code 25100 Frazioni Fornaci, Sant... Lombardy (Italian: Lombardia, Lombard: Lumbardìa) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. ... The Ursulines is a religious order founded at Brescia, Italy by St. ... Events January 18 - Lima, Peru founded by Francisco Pizarro April - Jacques Cartier discovers the Iroquois city of Stadacona, Canada (now Quebec) and in May, the even greater Huron city of Hochelaga June 24 - The Anabaptist state of Münster (see Münster Rebellion) is conquered and disbanded. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Clement XIII, né Carlo della Torre Rezzonico (Venice, March 7, 1693 - Rome, February 2, 1769) was pope from 1758 to 1769. ... Icon of St. ... Year 1807 (MDCCCVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... Pius VII, né Giorgio Barnaba Luigi Chiaramonti, (August 14, 1740 - August 20, 1823) was Pope from March 14, 1800 to August 20, 1823. ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with a saint, and referring to the day as the saints day of that saint. ... January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Pope (or Pope of Rome) (from Latin: papa, Papa, father; from Greek: papas / = priest originating from πατήρ = father )[1] is the Bishop of Rome and the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church. ... The Venerable Pius XII, born Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Eugenio Pacelli (Rome, March 2, 1876 - October 9, 1958) served as the Pope from March 2, 1939 to 1958. ... Our Lady redirects here. ...

St. Angela was born on March 21st, 1474 at Desenzano, a small town on the southwestern shore of Lake Garda in Lombardy. She and her older sister were left orphans when she was about ten years old. Together they came to live with their uncle in the town of Salo where they led an angelic life. Young Angela was very distressed when her sister suddenly died without receiving the last sacraments. She joined the Third Order of St. Francis, and increased her prayers to God so her sister’s soul could rest in peace. It is said that she was satisfied by a vision that her sister was in company of the saints in heaven. Her uncle died when she was twenty years old and she returned to her previous home in Desenzano. Angela believed that better Christian education was needed for young girls; she then dedicated her time teaching girls in her home, which she had converted into a school. One day, while she was in ecstasy, she had another vision that revealed to her that she was to found an association of virgins who were to devote their lives to the religious training of young girls. This was a success and she was invited to start another school in the neighboring city, Brescia. She happily accepted this offer. In 1524, while traveling to the Holy Land, she became suddenly blind when she was on the island of Crete. Faithfully ignoring this obstacle, Angela continued her journey to the Holy Places and was cured of sightlessness on her return, while praying before a crucifix, at the same place where she was struck with blindness a few weeks before. In 1525, she came to Rome to gain the indulgences. While doing this task, Pope Clement VII, who had heard of her holiness and success with her school, invited her to remain in Rome. Because Angela disliked publicity, she returned to Brescia. On November 25th, 1535, she chose twelve virgins and started the foundation of the Ursulines near the church of St. Afra in a small house in Brescia. Five years later she died on January 27th. She was beatified in 1768, by Clement XIII, and canonized in 1807, by Pius VII.