Giovannina Franchi

Blessed Giovannina Franchi (24 June 1807 – 23 February 1872) was an Italian sister of the Roman Catholic Church who founded the Nursing Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows. She died in 1872 at the age of 64.

She was beatified in 2014.

Life

Giovannina Franchi was born on 24 June 1807 as the second of seven children. She had four sisters and two brothers and was baptized on 25 June 1807. She received the sacrament of confirmation in 1818. She completed her studies in 1824.

She was betrothed in 1840 but the fiancée died due to a disease. Her mother died in 1849 and her father followed in 1852. She later went on to found the Nursing Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows.

In 1866 her health began to decline and it was at this time she drew up her will. She died of smallpox in 1872 at the age of 64. She died at 5:30am. Her remains were exhumed in 1935.^[1]

Beatification

The nihil obstat (nothing against) was introduced on 18 June 1994; it allowed for the beatification process to commence and granted her the title of Servant of God. The diocesan process in Como commenced on 27 September 1994 and closed on 27 September 1995. The Positio was sent to Rome in 1998.

Pope Benedict XVI - in an audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato - recognized that she had lived a life of heroic virtue and named her to be Venerable on 20 December 2012.

Pope Francis signed the decree pertaining to a miracle attributed to her intercession on 9 December 2013 and announced her beatification to be held on 20 September 2014 in her native Como. Cardinal Amato - for the pope - presided over the beatification.

References

External links

• Hagiography Circle
• Suore Infermie dell Addolorata