Saint Fina, Pray for us ! |
⛪ Other Names : Fina, Serafina
⛪ Born :
• At San Geminiano, Tuscany, Italy
⛪ Died :
• 12 March 1253
⛪ Patronage :
• Disabled people • Handicapped people • Physically challenged people • Spinners
⛪ Symbols :
• Violets • With Saint Gregory the Great • Lying on a wooden board
St. Fina or Seraphina, Virgin A.D. 1253 The old town of San Geminiano in Tuscanytreasures with special veneration the memory of Santa Fina, a young girl whose claim to be recognized as a saint lay in the perfect resignation with which she accepted bodily suffering. She was born of parents who had seen better days but had fallen into poverty. The child was pretty and attractive. Poor as she was she always kept half her food to give to those who were worse off than herself. As far as possible she lived the life of a recluse at home, sewing indeed and spinning during the day, ;but spending much of the night in prayer. Her father seems to have died when she was still young and about the same time Fina was attacked by a sudden complication of diseases. Her head, hands, eyes, feet and internal organs were affected and paralysis supervened. She lost her good looks and became a miserable object. Desiring to be like our Lord on the cross, for six years she lay on a plank in one position, unable to turn or to move. Her mother had to leave her for hours while she went to work or beg, but Fina never complained. Although in terrible pain she always maintained serenity and with her eyes fixed upon the crucifix she kept on repeating,"It is not my wounds but thine, O Christ, that hurt me".
Fresco (1477) of the Announcement of Death to Saint Fina by Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Collegiata of San Gimignano, Italy. |