Prof. Ferzoco's question about saints and origins came as I was
rereading Caterina Vegri's Sette armi spirituali (a wonderful 15th century
autobiography and guide to "convent life" that should be better known).
Usually known as S. Caterina of Bologna, she was actually born in
Ferrara, where she was educated at the sophisticated court during the
1420's. She joined a group of Augustinian tertiaries in 1426, and was
active as novice mistress and eventually as abbess when the group
officially became Clarisse. Relatively late in her life -- 1456 -- she was
asked to go to Bologna, where she was the abbess of a new convent of
Clarisse there. She died in 1463. There were numerous tensions
between Ferrara and Bologna in the late 18th century when her
canonization was being discussed, and for a long time it seemed as
though the Ferrarese would win out as her "cultic" center. But since the
majority of her miracles were performed in Bologna, where she was
also known as a prophet, the Church finally decided on Bologna.
Doubtless there are other stories about contested origins -- will pass
them on as I stumble onto them!
Jane Tylus, Assoc. Prof., Comparative Literature, U.Wisconsin-Madison,
USA
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