Savina Petrilli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BlessedSavina Petrilli |
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| Born | 29 August 1851 Siena, Grand Duchy of Tuscany |
| Died | 18 April 1923 (aged 71) Siena, Kingdom of Italy |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 24 April 1988, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | 18 April |
| Patronage | Sisters of the Poor of Saint Catherine of Siena |
Savina Petrilli (born August 29, 1851 – died April 18, 1923) was an Italian Catholic nun. She started a religious group called the Sisters of the Poor of Saint Catherine of Siena. She was encouraged to do this by Pope Pius IX.
Savina Petrilli wanted her group to help girls in need and poor people. The Sisters opened their first house outside Italy in Brazil. Savina continued to lead the main house in Siena, Italy, until she passed away in 1923.
She was declared "Blessed" (a step towards becoming a saint) on April 24, 1988. The Catholic Church remembers her on April 18 each year.
Her Life Story
Savina Petrilli was born on August 29, 1851, in Siena, Italy. She was the second daughter of Celso Petrilli and Matilde Venturini. Her older sister was Emilia.
When Savina was ten years old, in 1861, she read about the life of Catherine of Siena. This made her feel a strong connection to Catherine. In 1863, at age twelve, she received her First Communion.
At fifteen, she joined a local Catholic youth group called the Daughters of Mary. By 1873, she became the leader of this group. In 1868, when she was seventeen, Savina made a private promise to God to remain unmarried and serve Him.
The next year, in 1869, she met Pope Pius IX. When he learned she was from Siena, the Pope suggested she start a new religious group. He thought it should be dedicated to Saint Catherine of Siena. Savina decided to follow his advice. She shared her idea with her sister Emilia, who was very ill at the time.
On August 15, 1873, Savina and five other women made their promises to God. This day is seen as the start of her new group. It happened in a small chapel at her family's home. The Archbishop of Siena, Enrico Bindi, was there and approved the new group. They were named the Sisters of the Poor of Saint Catherine of Siena.
Savina and the other new Sisters moved into a new house together on September 7, 1874. In 1881, the Sisters opened another house in Onano, Italy. This town is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) northwest of Rome.
In 1903, they took a big step and opened their first mission outside Italy, in Brazil. Pope Leo XIII officially praised the group in 1891. The group received full approval from the Pope on September 5, 1899. Their rules were approved on June 17, 1906, by Pope Pius X.
Savina Petrilli passed away in Siena on April 18, 1923, at 5:20 pm. Today, her religious group works in Latin America, including Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. They also have communities in the United States of America, India, and the Philippines. In 2005, there were 589 Sisters in 87 houses around the world.
Becoming Blessed
The process to declare Savina Petrilli a "Blessed" person began on June 21, 1922. This started in her home area of Siena. During this process, people collected information about her life. They especially looked at her important religious activities.
Her writings were also studied by religious experts. They wanted to make sure her ideas matched the teachings of the Catholic Church. On December 21, 1968, the Church officially said her writings were free from error.
On October 15, 1981, a special office in Rome, called the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, officially started the Roman part of the process. This step gave Savina Petrilli the title of Servant of God. This is the first official step towards becoming a saint.
Later, Rome confirmed that the Siena process had completed all its tasks. This meant the first part of the investigation was finished.
In 1985, a large report called the Positio was put together. It contained details about Savina's religious work and her life story. This report was sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The report was positive. Because of this, Pope John Paul II declared Savina Petrilli to be Venerable on November 16, 1985. This means she was recognized for her heroic virtues.
For someone to be declared "Blessed," the Catholic Church usually requires one miracle. A reported miracle was investigated in the area where it happened. In 1986, it was confirmed as real and sent to Rome for more study. In 1987, Pope John Paul II approved the findings. He declared that the healing was a true miracle.
Finally, on April 24, 1988, Pope John Paul II held a special Mass. This took place in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican City. During this Mass, he officially declared Savina Petrilli "Blessed."
