Giulia della Rena

Giulia della Rena (1319 – 9 January 1367) was an Italian Roman Catholic professed member of the Order of Saint Augustine in its third order branch.^[1] Della Rena was orphaned sometime in her late childhood and sought work as a maid in Florence where she soon became a member of the Augustinian tertiaries. The religious then returned to Certaldo due to the negative Florentine economic and political climate where she became best known for rescuing a child from a burning building.^[2][3]

Life

Giulia della Rena was born to impoverished nobles (whose status began to wane) in Certaldo sometime in 1319.^[1][2] She was orphaned of both her parents sometime in her childhood.^[3]

Della Rena sought work outside of her hometown and became a maid to the Timolfi household in Florence. It was there that she became a professed member of the Order of Saint Augustine in its third order branch in 1338 at their church of the Holy Spirit while also receiving the habit.^[4] But the tumult in Florence caused her to return home to Certaldo where she rescued a child from a burning building in a move that brought her unwanted fame and attention.^[1] She then retired to live the remainder of her life as an anchoress in a small cell that was built to the church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo.^[3] She had little in her small cell save for a little window and a Crucifix.^[3]

Della Rena died at the beginning of 1367.^[4] Her remains were interred in the church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo and were moved to its altar in 1372.^[2]

Beatification

The 1819 confirmation of her local "cultus" (or popular devotion) – which began almost right after she died – allowed for Pope Pius VII to approve her beatification.^{[4][failed verification]}

References

External links

• Saints SQPN

This page was last edited on 27 July 2022, at 07:26