10 Fascinating Facts About 19th-C. Italian Mystic Saint Gemma Galgani
How much do you know about Saint Gemma Galgani?
Here are 10 things you should know about Saint Gemma Galgani, followed by a prayer written by this amazing saint!
1) Born March 12, 1878.
2) Lost both parents to illness in her late teens.
3) Her faith was often misunderstood and ridiculed by others.
4) Wanted to become a nun with the Passionists, but couldn’t because of poor health.
5) Contracted spinal meningitis at age 20. It is said she was cured by then-Venerable Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows and Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque!
6) Reported to have the gift of levitation and had visions of her Guardian Angel and the Blessed Mother Mary.
7) Recipient of the Holy Wounds of Christ. She received the stigmata on June 8, 1899.
8) Known as the Saint of the Passion of Jesus and for her great devotion to the Holy Eucharist.
9) Died on Holy Saturday – April 11, 1903.
10) Patron saint of students, pharmacists, tuberculosis, migraine sufferers, young people, temptations, and more!
Saint Gemma Galgani’s Prayer
O my crucified God, behold me at Your feet; do not cast me out, now that I appear before You as a sinner. I have offended You exceedingly in the past, my Jesus, but it shall be so no longer.
Before You, O Lord, I place all my sins; I have now considered Your own sufferings and see how great is the worth of that Precious Blood that flows from Your veins.
O my God, at this hour close Your eyes to my want of merit, and since You have been pleased to die for my sins, grant me forgiveness for them all, that I may no longer feel the burden of my sins, for this burden, Dear Jesus, oppresses me beyond measure.
Assist me, my Jesus, for I desire to become good whatsoever it may cost; take away, destroy, utterly root out all that You find in me contrary to Your holy will. At the same time, I pray You, Lord Jesus, to enlighten me that I may be able to walk in Your holy light.
Amen.
Saint Gemma Galgani is a beloved saint in the Catholic Church, known for her deep spirituality and devotion to Christ. Her life serves as an inspiration to Catholics around the world, reminding us of the importance of prayer, sacrifice, and trust in God.
May we strive to imitate her example of holiness and devotion, and may we always turn to Christ in times of trial and difficulty.