Margaret of Cortona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintMargaret of Cortona O.F.S. |
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| Tender of Sick, Monastic | |
| Born | c. 1247 Laviano, Italy |
| Died | 22 February 1297 (aged 49–50) Cortona, Italy |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church, Episcopal Church (United States) |
| Canonized | 16 May 1728 by Pope Benedict XIII |
| Feast | 22 February, 16 May |
| Patronage | people battling temptation; falsely accused people; homeless people; insanity; orphans; mental illness; mentally ill people; midwives; single mothers; people whose piety is ridiculed; single laywomen; the third child |
Margaret of Cortona (1247 – 22 February 1297) was an Italian woman who became a saint. She was part of the Third Order of Saint Francis, a group of people who follow the teachings of Francis of Assisi but live in the world. Margaret was born in Laviano, Italy, and died in Cortona. She became a saint in 1728.
She is known as the patroness saint of many groups. These include people who are falsely accused, homeless people, orphaned children, and those with mental illness. She is also a patron saint for midwives and single mothers.
Life of Saint Margaret
Margaret was born in Laviano, a small farming village in Italy. When she was seven, her mother died, and her father remarried. Margaret and her stepmother did not get along well. As she grew older, Margaret became more rebellious.
At age 17, she fell in love with a young knight and ran away with him. They lived together for nine years and had a son. One day, the knight did not come home. His favorite dog led Margaret into the forest, where she found his murdered body.
A New Path
This terrible event changed Margaret's life. She felt very sorry for her past actions. She decided to give up her old way of life. She returned to her father's house with her son, asking for forgiveness. However, her stepmother insisted that her father would not let her stay.
Margaret then sought help from Franciscan friars in Cortona. Two kind women, Marinana and Raneria, offered her and her son a place to live. Her son went to school and later became a Franciscan friar himself.
Margaret then began a period of public penance. She was deeply sorry for her past life. She undertook extreme acts of self-denial and prayer.
Helping Others
A small house was found for Margaret, where she lived with her son. At first, she earned money by caring for children and sick ladies. Soon, she spent all her time helping the poor and sick. She also devoted herself to prayer. Inspired by Francis of Assisi, she hoped to join the Franciscan order.
In 1277, after three years of testing, Margaret was finally accepted into the Third Order of Saint Francis. She focused on prayer and deep spiritual connection with Christ. She continued to serve the poor.
Margaret started a hospital for the sick, homeless, and poor. To find nurses for the hospital, she created a group of Tertiary Sisters. They were known as Le poverelle, which means "Little poor ones" in Italian. Margaret said that while praying, she heard the words, "What do you wish, poverella?" She replied, "I only want You, my Lord Jesus." She also started a group dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy. Members of this group promised to support the hospital and help those in need. As her fame for holiness grew, people began to ask her for advice.
Later Life and Death
Margaret often slept on a wooden frame in a small room at the church of San Francesco. One Sunday, she returned to her childhood church in Laviano. There, she made a public confession about her past life. She asked for forgiveness from everyone in the community.
Margaret sometimes became involved in political matters. In 1288, she was asked to help make peace between families. These families were fighting because of the Guelph/Ghibelline conflict. She also tried to help settle disagreements between the people of Cortona and the local Bishop of Arezzo. She claimed God told her to challenge the bishop. She did this twice because he was living and acting more like a prince than a church leader.
By 1288, Margaret had moved to a small chapel dedicated to San Basilio. She lived there alone, except for visits from her priest. The chapel had been damaged during a battle in 1258. Margaret led efforts to rebuild the church and the nearby convent.
Margaret died on 22 February 1297, when she was not yet 50 years old. Her body was placed in a wall of the small chapel of San Basilio. People immediately saw her as a saint. However, her official canonization (being declared a saint) did not happen for over 430 years.
By 1330, the people of Cortona built a larger church, Santa Margherita, based on a design by Giovanni Pisano. This is the church you can see today. The old chapel became part of the new church. The spot where Margaret died is now near the third altar on the left side of the church.
In 1456, Margaret's body was moved to the new church. It became a place of worship. Her body was said to be incorrupt, meaning it had not decayed. To this day, it is kept in a silver box.
Margaret was made a saint by Pope Benedict XIII on 16 May 1728. Her feast day in the Catholic Church is 22 February. She is also honored on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in America.
In art
In pictures of Margaret's life, a dog is often shown. This dog was her guide when she found the body of her son's murdered father.
Paintings of Margaret have been made by artists like Giovanni Lanfranco (in 1622) and Gaspare Traversi (around 1758).
In 1938, the Italian composer Licinio Refice wrote an opera about Margaret's life. It was called Margherita da Cortona.
A movie about her life, Margaret of Cortona, was made in 1950 by Mario Bonnard. Maria Frau played Margaret in the film.
See also
- List of Catholic saints
- Saint Margaret of Cortona, patron saint archive
- St. Margaret of Cortona's Church (Bronx)
