Thursday 22 February 2018

# Saints

Saint Margaret of Cortona


The 22nd of February is the feast day of Saint Margaret of Cortona. She is the patron saint against temptations; falsely accused people; homeless people; insanity; loss of parents; mental illness; mentally ill people; midwives; penitent women; single mothers; people ridiculed for their piety; reformed prostitutes; sexual temptation; single laywomen; and third children.

Saint Margaret of Cortona lived between 1247 and 1297 and was the only child of a working-class family in Tuscany, Italy. Her mother died when she was seven years old and she did not get along well with her stepmother. Margaret was a spoilt child and was reckless but beautiful. She left home at the age of seventeen to become a mistress of a young nobleman. She lived with him in his castle for nine years and had a son with him but did not marry because of her lower social class One day he did not return home but his hound came back alone. The dog led Margaret to her lover’s body where he was murdered in the woods. She became deeply repentant and left his castle with her son and went to seek the Franciscan friars for spiritual direction. She eventually joined the Third Order of Saint Francis and led a life of prayer, penance, poverty and charity towards the poor.

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