Columba of Rieti
Encyclopedia
Columba of Rieti was an Italian
female Dominican tertiary mystic
. She was renowned for her spiritual advice, devotion to the Blessed Sacrament
, and the fantastic miracles attributed to her.
. Legend states that when she was born, angel
s gathered around her house, singing, and that during her Baptism
, a dove flew down to the font. From then on, no one referred to her as Angelella, but as Columba (dove).
As a small girl, Columba learned to spin
and sew
repairing the clothes of the local Dominicans. She was educated by Dominican nuns. As a teenager
, she prayed to discern her vocation in life and received a vision of Christ on a throne surrounded by saint
s. She took this as a sign to dedicate herself to God, and so she made a private vow of chastity
, and spent her time in prayer. When it was revealed that her parents had arranged a marriage for her
, she cut off her hair and sent it to her suitor as a way of letting him know where her real interest lay.
Columba became a Dominican tertiary at age 19. She was reputedly given to ecstasies, during one of which her spirit toured the Holy Land
. She was a much sought after spiritual counselor. It is said that citizens from the city of Narni
tried to kidnap her so she could be their miracle worker, but she escaped. The same townsfolk were to later fight for their retention of Blessed Lucia of Narni
.
Upon a prompting that she should leave Rieti, she wandered away, having no conception of where she was going. Along the way she was arrested in Foligno
as a vagrant
. The bishop there ordered her to go to Perugia and found a Third Order convent, which she did, but only against the strong objections of the citizens of Foligno and Rieti who wanted her for their own towns. She worked with the poor extensively in Perugia, so much so that her sanctity reportedly incensed Lucrezia Borgia
for years. At one point Borgia had even issued a decree accusing Columba of practicing magic
. On the other hand, Pope Alexander VI
, another Borgia, held her in high regard. He consulted her and received a severe admonition to repent.
Columba spent eleven years as prioress
in Perugia, dying at the age of 34. Legend says that the moment of her death, her friend Blessed Osanna Andreasi
saw Columba's soul as a "radiance rising to heaven." The whole city turned out for her funeral, which was paid for by the city fathers.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
female Dominican tertiary mystic
Christian mysticism
Christian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity. It has often been connected to mystical theology, especially in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions...
. She was renowned for her spiritual advice, devotion to the Blessed Sacrament
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, and the fantastic miracles attributed to her.
Life
Columba was born with the name Angelella Guardagnoli, the daughter of a poor family in the Umbrian city of RietiRieti
Rieti is a city and comune in Lazio, central Italy, with a population of c. 47,700. It is the capital of province of Rieti.The town centre rests on a small hilltop, commanding a wide plain at the southern edge of an ancient lake. The area is now the fertile basin of the Velino River...
. Legend states that when she was born, angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s gathered around her house, singing, and that during her Baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
, a dove flew down to the font. From then on, no one referred to her as Angelella, but as Columba (dove).
As a small girl, Columba learned to spin
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
and sew
Sewing
Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era...
repairing the clothes of the local Dominicans. She was educated by Dominican nuns. As a teenager
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
, she prayed to discern her vocation in life and received a vision of Christ on a throne surrounded by saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s. She took this as a sign to dedicate herself to God, and so she made a private vow of chastity
Chastity
Chastity refers to the sexual behavior of a man or woman acceptable to the moral standards and guidelines of a culture, civilization, or religion....
, and spent her time in prayer. When it was revealed that her parents had arranged a marriage for her
Arranged marriage
An arranged marriage is a practice in which someone other than the couple getting married makes the selection of the persons to be wed, meanwhile curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship. Such marriages had deep roots in royal and aristocratic families around the world...
, she cut off her hair and sent it to her suitor as a way of letting him know where her real interest lay.
Columba became a Dominican tertiary at age 19. She was reputedly given to ecstasies, during one of which her spirit toured the Holy Land
Astral projection
Astral projection is an interpretation of out-of-body experience that assumes the existence of an "astral body" separate from the physical body and capable of traveling outside it...
. She was a much sought after spiritual counselor. It is said that citizens from the city of Narni
Narni
Narni is an ancient hilltown and comune of Umbria, in central Italy, with 20,100 inhabitants, according to the 2003 census. At an altitude of 240 m , it overhangs a narrow gorge of the Nera River in the province of Terni. It is very close to the Geographic center of Italy...
tried to kidnap her so she could be their miracle worker, but she escaped. The same townsfolk were to later fight for their retention of Blessed Lucia of Narni
Lucia Brocadelli of Narni
Lucia Brocadelli of Narni, T.O.S.D., was an Italian Roman Catholic mystic, beatified in 1710.-An incipient vocation:Lucia was the eldest of eleven children of Bartolomeo Broccadelli and Gentilina Cassio. When she was only five years old, she had a vision of the Virgin Mary. Two years later, she...
.
Upon a prompting that she should leave Rieti, she wandered away, having no conception of where she was going. Along the way she was arrested in Foligno
Foligno
Foligno is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river where it leaves the Apennines and enters the wide plain of the Clitunno river system...
as a vagrant
Vagrancy (people)
A vagrant is a person in poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income.-Definition:A vagrant is "a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging;" vagrancy is the condition of such persons.-History:In...
. The bishop there ordered her to go to Perugia and found a Third Order convent, which she did, but only against the strong objections of the citizens of Foligno and Rieti who wanted her for their own towns. She worked with the poor extensively in Perugia, so much so that her sanctity reportedly incensed Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia [luˈkrɛtsia ˈbɔrʤa] was the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her brothers included Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, and Gioffre Borgia...
for years. At one point Borgia had even issued a decree accusing Columba of practicing magic
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
. On the other hand, Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI , born Roderic Llançol i Borja was Pope from 1492 until his death on 18 August 1503. He is one of the most controversial of the Renaissance popes, and his Italianized surname—Borgia—became a byword for the debased standards of the Papacy of that era, most notoriously the Banquet...
, another Borgia, held her in high regard. He consulted her and received a severe admonition to repent.
Columba spent eleven years as prioress
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
in Perugia, dying at the age of 34. Legend says that the moment of her death, her friend Blessed Osanna Andreasi
Osanna of Mantua
Blessed Osanna Andreasi of Mantua was a Dominican tertiary, stigmatic, and mystic.-Life:...
saw Columba's soul as a "radiance rising to heaven." The whole city turned out for her funeral, which was paid for by the city fathers.
See also
- Blessed Stephana de QuinzanisStephana de QuinzanisBlessed Stephana de Quinzanis was an Italian Dominican tertiary and stigmatic.-Life:...
- Blessed Osanna of MantuaOsanna of MantuaBlessed Osanna Andreasi of Mantua was a Dominican tertiary, stigmatic, and mystic.-Life:...