Early Life and First Marriage (c. 1260-1294)

Chiara, known to history as Clare of Rimini, was born around the year 1260 (though some sources give 1282) into the wealthy Agolanti family of Rimini, a prosperous coastal city in the Romagna region of northeastern Italy. Rimini was a city of considerable importance in medieval Italy, strategically located on the Adriatic coast along the ancient Via Flaminia, the Roman road connecting Rome to the northern territories.

Clare's family belonged to the city's affluent nobility, which meant that from her earliest years she enjoyed material comfort, social privilege, and all the advantages that wealth could provide. However, these same advantages would later prove to be sources of great spiritual danger.

A Childhood Marked by Loss

The sources tell us that Clare was orphaned at a very young age, losing both her mother and father while still a child. The death of her mother when Clare was approximately seven years old was particularly significant, depriving her of the maternal guidance and formation that was considered essential for a young girl's moral and spiritual development in medieval society. Without a mother to teach her Christian virtue, modesty, and the practices of the faith, Clare grew up without the spiritual foundation she desperately needed.

Her father, overwhelmed by the demands of managing his estates and unable to devote sufficient time and attention to raising his young daughter, could not adequately replace the mother's role. Though doubtless he loved Clare and wanted the best for her, he lacked either the time, the skill, or the inclination to provide her with the careful moral formation a motherless girl required. As a result, Clare's childhood and adolescence were characterized more by frivolity and worldliness than by genuine Christian formation.

The devout hagiographical accounts describe Clare as having grown up "in a frivolous rather than in a Christian manner." She became accustomed to luxury, entertainment, and the pursuit of pleasure. The religious exercises she performed—attending Mass, saying occasional prayers—were mere external formalities, done out of social custom or family expectation rather than from any genuine devotion or Christian motive. Her heart was not engaged; her soul was not seeking God.

First Marriage and Early Widowhood

Following the customs of her time and social class, Clare was married at a young age to a man chosen by her family. This first husband is described in the sources as devout and pious—a stark contrast to Clare's own worldliness. One can imagine the tension in such a household: a genuinely religious husband trying to live according to Christian principles, and a frivolous young wife more interested in social entertainments and worldly pleasures than in prayer or virtue.

However, this marriage was tragically brief. Clare's first husband died not long after their wedding, leaving her a young widow. In medieval society, widowhood brought both practical challenges and spiritual dangers. Practically, a young widow without children had uncertain social status and needed family support. Spiritually, the period of grief and adjustment could lead either to deeper faith or to further flight from God.

For Clare, early widowhood seems to have intensified rather than diminished her worldly tendencies. She did not turn to God in her grief but rather sought consolation in the very pleasures and distractions that had characterized her youth.

Political Turmoil: Exile and Tragedy (c. 1294-1300)

The Malatesta-Parcitadi Conflict

To understand the next chapter of Clare's life, we must understand the violent political situation in Rimini during this period. The city, like most Italian communes of the era, was torn by factional strife between rival noble families competing for power and dominance. The two principal factions in Rimini were the Malatesta family and the Parcitadi (or Parcitade) family, representing different political allegiances and personal rivalries.

These conflicts were not merely political disagreements but blood feuds that could result in exile, confiscation of property, violence, and murder. When one faction gained the upper hand, they would often expel members of the opposing faction from the city, seize their properties, and sometimes execute those they considered most dangerous.

The Agolanti family, to which Clare belonged, was allied with the Parcitadi faction. When political fortune turned against the Parcitadi, the consequences for Clare's family were devastating.

Exile from Rimini

When Clare's faction lost power in Rimini, she was forced into exile along with other members of her family and political allies. This meant abandoning her home, her property, and the familiar surroundings of her native city. She had to flee to territories controlled by allies of her faction, living as a refugee dependent on the charity and hospitality of others.

Exile was not merely an inconvenience but a form of political death—a loss of citizenship rights, social standing, and economic security. For a young widow of a noble family, this must have been particularly humiliating and frightening. The comfortable, privileged life she had always known was suddenly stripped away.

Brutal Execution of Her Father and Brother

The political tragedy reached its terrible climax when Clare and her family were eventually able to return to Rimini, presumably after some political reconciliation or shift in power. However, the return brought not restoration but horror. Clare witnessed the execution of her father and her brother by the rival Malatesta faction.

These were not judicial executions following any semblance of fair trial but political murders—acts of vengeance by the victorious faction against their defeated enemies. The sources indicate that these killings took place publicly, meaning Clare may have actually seen her father and brother killed, or at minimum heard the terrible news and saw their bodies displayed as warnings to others.

This double loss—father and brother murdered in brutal political violence—was a trauma of the deepest kind. It left Clare with no immediate male family members to protect her interests or provide for her future. She was now not only a widow but also effectively an orphan (though she was likely in her thirties by this point) and the last surviving member of her immediate family.

Second Marriage and a Life of Pleasure (c. 1300-1316)

Remarriage

Despite the traumatic losses she had endured, or perhaps because of them, Clare soon entered into a second marriage. The sources tell us little about this second husband except that, unlike her first husband who had been pious, this man was "a perfect child of the world"—that is, a man wholly devoted to worldly pleasures, social climbing, and material success, with little or no genuine religious faith or practice.

This second marriage proved to be a spiritual disaster for Clare. Rather than providing her with stability and helping her turn to God in the wake of her family's tragic deaths, this union pulled her even further into a life of sinful dissipation and worldly pleasure.

"A Life of Sinful Dissipation"

The hagiographical sources are discreet about the specific nature of Clare's sins during this period, but they uniformly describe her as leading "a life of sinful dissipation" and "a life of pleasure and scandal." In the language of the time, this indicated serious moral failure—likely including vanity, luxury, sensuality, and possibly adultery or other forms of sexual immorality.

Clare had beauty, wealth, social position, and a husband who encouraged rather than restrained her worst impulses. She threw herself into the pursuit of pleasure: lavish entertainments, fine clothing and jewelry, social gatherings, and all the amusements that the wealthy of medieval Italian cities enjoyed. Her religious obligations were performed mechanically if at all—she might attend Mass on Sundays out of social custom, but her heart was far from God.

What made her situation particularly tragic was that Clare seems to have known, on some level, that this way of life was wrong. She was not an atheist or a deliberate rebel against God, but rather someone who had allowed worldly pleasures to capture her heart and drown out the voice of conscience. She performed religious exercises "without any devotion or Christian motive"—going through the motions while her soul remained empty.

Contemporary sources suggest that her scandalous lifestyle became well known in Rimini, making her a subject of gossip and perhaps even a source of scandal to others who might have been influenced by her bad example.

This period of Clare's life likely lasted for many years, perhaps a decade or more. She was caught in a spiritual paralysis—not entirely comfortable with her sin, but unable or unwilling to break free from the pleasures that held her captive.

The Moment of Grace: Conversion at Mass (c. 1316)

The Mysterious Voice

The turning point in Clare's life came one day around the year 1316, when she was approximately 34 years old (though if she was born in 1282, she would have been younger). She was attending Mass at the Church of the Franciscan Friars (the Church of San Francesco) in Rimini. True to her established pattern, Clare was not actually praying or paying attention to the sacred mysteries being celebrated. Instead, as the sources vividly note, she was "gazing about in her usual distracted way"—looking around the church at other people, at the architecture, at anything and everything except the altar where Christ was being made present in the Eucharist.

Then something extraordinary happened. Clare suddenly felt what she later described as "an inward urge" or heard what seemed to be "a mysterious voice" speaking to her soul. The message was both simple and profound: Pray at least one Our Father and one Hail Mary with true fervor and attention.

That was all. Not a dramatic vision of heaven and hell, not an appearance of Our Lady or a saint, not a thunderous condemnation of her sins. Just a gentle, insistent interior voice asking her to do one thing: to pray just two prayers—the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary—but to pray them truly, with actual devotion and attention rather than as empty formulas.

Obedience and the Beginning of Reflection

Clare obeyed. Not knowing where this mysterious voice came from or what it meant, she nevertheless did as it asked. Right there in the Franciscan church, perhaps kneeling in her pew or standing before a side altar, Clare deliberately turned her attention away from the distractions around her and inward toward God. She prayed the Our Father slowly, attentively, meaning each word. She prayed the Hail Mary with genuine devotion, perhaps for the first time in years.

This simple act of obedience became the crack in the dam. Once Clare's attention was truly focused on prayer, once her heart was even briefly turned toward God, she could no longer maintain the spiritual blindness that had characterized her life for so long. She began to reflect on her life—to see it, perhaps for the first time, as God saw it.

The Examination of Conscience

As Clare continued to pray and reflect, a devastating but ultimately healing realization came over her: she was living in mortal sin. Her life of pleasure and dissipation, her pursuit of worldly amusements, her neglect of God, her scandalous behavior—all of it stood before her in stark clarity. The excuses and rationalizations she had used to quiet her conscience fell away, and she saw herself as she truly was: a sinner in desperate need of God's mercy.

The sources tell us that "Clare became alarmed at the consideration of her past life; she shuddered at the thought of the account God could require of her at any moment." This was not merely psychological guilt but genuine compunction—a grace-filled recognition of sin combined with sorrow for having offended God and fear of His just judgment.

What if she had died during any of those years of dissipation? What if death had come suddenly, as it so often did in medieval times with disease, accident, or violence? She would have appeared before God's judgment seat unprepared, unrepentant, and in a state of mortal sin. The thought horrified her.

But alongside this salutary fear came hope. The very fact that she could now see her sin clearly, that she could feel sorrow for it, that she wanted to change—all of this was evidence of God's grace at work. The God of all mercies was calling her back. It was not too late.

Radical Conversion: The Third Order of Saint Francis (c. 1316-1320)

The Firm Purpose of Amendment

Clare made an immediate and firm resolution: she would change her life completely. This was not a vague intention to "try to be better" or to "cut back on" her sinful pleasures. It was a total commitment to conversion, to turning away from sin and turning toward God.

Her resolution was tested immediately because she was still married to her worldly husband and still living in circumstances that had facilitated her sinful lifestyle. But Clare did not wait for perfect circumstances to begin her conversion. She started at once.

Embracing Penance: The Franciscan Third Order

Clare sought spiritual direction from the Franciscan friars whose church she had been attending when she received the grace of conversion. Under their guidance, she made a full and sincere confession of her sins, experiencing the incredible relief and joy of sacramental absolution.

The friars recognized the genuineness of Clare's conversion and suggested that she formalize her new commitment by entering the Third Order of Saint Francis (also known as the Franciscan Third Order Secular or the Order of Penance of Saint Francis). This was a way of life designed for lay people who wanted to live according to Franciscan spirituality while remaining in the world rather than entering a monastery or convent.

Clare eagerly embraced this suggestion. With her husband's consent—itself perhaps a fruit of grace, as he agreed to support this dramatic change in his wife's life—Clare received the habit of the Third Order of Saint Francis. She now wore a simple religious garment rather than the fine clothing and jewelry that had characterized her former life. This external change symbolized and reinforced the interior transformation taking place in her soul.

As a Franciscan tertiary, Clare committed herself to:

Regular prayer, including the Divine Office adapted for lay people
Frequent reception of the sacraments, especially Confession and Holy Communion
Fasting and abstinence on prescribed days
Works of charity and mercy toward the poor and suffering
Renunciation of worldly pleasures and entertainments
Living in simplicity and poverty of spirit

A Model of Virtue, Especially Charity

The sources tell us that Clare "soon became a model of every virtue, but more especially of charity towards the destitute and afflicted." Her conversion was not merely internal or private but bore abundant external fruit. The woman who had formerly pursued only her own pleasure now devoted herself to serving others.

Clare's charity expressed itself in multiple ways:

Material Charity: She used her wealth (which was considerable, given her noble family background) to help the poor. She gave alms generously, provided food and clothing to those in need, and supported charitable works.

Care for the Sick: Clare personally visited and cared for sick people, including those suffering from contagious or repulsive diseases that others feared to approach. She nursed them, brought them food and medicine, comforted them in their sufferings, and helped them prepare spiritually for death.

Service to the Destitute: The truly abandoned and forgotten members of society—beggars, homeless persons, those with no family to care for them—found in Clare a compassionate advocate and helper.

Spiritual Works of Mercy: Beyond material assistance, Clare devoted herself to instructing the ignorant, counseling the doubtful, comforting the sorrowful, and bearing wrongs patiently.

Special Mission to Young Women: Clare had a particular concern for young women who, like her former self, were in danger of being led into frivolous or sinful living. She worked to encourage them to avoid vanity and worldly pleasures, to embrace virtue and authentic Christian living. This apostolate was born from her own experience—she knew firsthand the dangers these young women faced and the empty promises of worldly pleasure.

Reconciliation Ministry: Clare also devoted herself to reconciling people who were at variance with one another—helping to heal broken relationships, mediate family disputes, and bring peace where there had been conflict. This too reflected her personal history, having witnessed the terrible fruits of factional violence and family enmity in her own life.

Death of Her Second Husband

After some time (the exact duration is not specified in the sources, but it was likely several years), Clare's second husband died, making her a widow for the second time. This event, which might have devastated a different person, brought Clare freedom to pursue an even more austere and dedicated life of penance.

No longer having the responsibilities and constraints of married life, and with her husband's consent no longer needed for her spiritual practices, Clare intensified her penitential lifestyle dramatically.

Life of Heroic Penance (c. 1320-1330)

Extreme Ascetical Practices

Following the example of the great medieval penitents and inspired by Franciscan spirituality, Clare embraced ascetical practices of extraordinary rigor:

Iron Girdles and Disciplines: She wore girdles (belts or bands) made of rough iron against her bare skin, causing constant discomfort and pain. These instruments of penance were meant to mortify the flesh and serve as ongoing acts of reparation for her former life of sensuality and pleasure. She also used disciplines (knotted cords or small chains) to inflict minor but painful blows on herself as penance.

Sleeping on Bare Boards: Clare gave up her comfortable bed and slept instead on hard wooden boards with no mattress, pillow, or soft covering. This practice of voluntary discomfort was a constant reminder of Christ's sufferings and a way of uniting herself to His Passion.

Extreme Fasting: She lived primarily on bread and water, renouncing rich foods, meats, delicacies, and even many ordinary foods. Her fasts were frequent and severe. This represented a complete reversal of her former life of luxurious eating and drinking.

Long Hours of Prayer: Clare devoted many hours each day to prayer—both liturgical prayer (the Divine Office) and mental prayer (meditation and contemplation). Prayer became the center and foundation of her entire life.

Manual Labor: Despite her noble background and the availability of servants, Clare engaged in manual work with her own hands—spinning, sewing, cleaning, and other tasks—both to support herself and as an act of humility.

The Informal Community

Clare's radical conversion and evident holiness began to attract other women who wanted to live similar lives of penance and prayer. She established what modern scholars describe as "an informal community" or a group of like-minded women living under her direction. This was not yet a formal religious congregation with canonical approval but rather a loosely organized group of devout women who looked to Clare as their spiritual leader and model.

Together, these women lived simply, prayed together, performed works of charity, and practiced penance. They wore simple habits similar to religious garb but had not taken formal vows. They lived in community but were not enclosed in a convent. In many ways, they resembled the Beguines of northern Europe—devout lay women living a quasi-religious life without belonging to an established religious order.

This community attracted both admiration and suspicion. Many faithful Catholics recognized the women's genuine holiness and supported their work. However, some local churchmen viewed such informal religious movements with concern or even hostility.

Trials and Accusations (c. 1320-1325)

Denounced as a Demonic Danger

Despite the evident fruits of holiness in Clare's life—her charity, her miracles, her conversion of sinners, her good influence—some local clergy denounced her as "a demonic danger." These accusations were serious and potentially life-threatening in an age when the Church was deeply concerned about heresy, false mysticism, and demonic deception.

What motivated these accusations? Several factors likely contributed:

Fear of Informal Religious Movements: The medieval Church was suspicious of lay religious movements that operated outside established monastic or canonical structures. Groups of women living together without formal vows, without being enclosed, and without clear ecclesiastical supervision were often viewed as potentially heterodox or dangerous.

Female Spiritual Authority: Clare, a laywoman without formal theological education, was exercising spiritual authority by directing other women, teaching them, and guiding their spiritual lives. Some clergy may have found this threatening or inappropriate.

Extraordinary Mystical Phenomena: Clare was experiencing visions, revelations, and mystical states. In an age when the Church was trying to discern between genuine mystical graces and demonic deceptions or mental illness, such phenomena were viewed with extreme caution.

Personal Jealousy or Misunderstanding: Some clergy may have been personally threatened by Clare's influence or may have simply misunderstood her authentic spiritual experiences.

Her Past Life: Knowledge of Clare's former scandalous lifestyle may have made some people skeptical that her conversion was genuine or may have led them to assume the worst about her current activities.

The charge of being "demonic" or "possessed" was extremely serious. If these accusations had been officially credited and pursued, Clare could have faced ecclesiastical trial, condemnation, imprisonment, or even death.

Gaining Powerful Supporters

However, God raised up defenders for Clare. Several important and influential people recognized the authenticity of her holiness and came to her defense:

Local Franciscan Friars: The Franciscans who had initially guided Clare's conversion continued to support her, testifying to the genuineness of her transformation and the orthodoxy of her teaching.

Sympathetic Clergy: Some local priests and clergy, recognizing the fruits of Clare's ministry and the evident graces she received, spoke in her defense.

Noble Patrons: Wealthy and influential lay people who had witnessed Clare's charity and holiness provided financial and political support.

The Bishop: Most importantly, ecclesiastical authorities at higher levels, including the local bishop, eventually recognized Clare's authenticity and gave their approval to her way of life and her growing community.

These supporters did not merely defend Clare out of personal loyalty but based on objective evidence: her life had genuinely changed, her teaching was orthodox, her works of charity were abundant, and God was clearly blessing her ministry with conversions, healings, and other spiritual fruits.

The accusations against her were eventually dismissed or dropped, and Clare's reputation for holiness continued to grow.

Foundation and Leadership: The Convent of Our Lady of the Angels (c. 1325-1346)

Helping the Poor Clares

A significant turning point came when a community of Poor Clares (the Second Order of Saint Francis, founded by Saint Clare of Assisi) who had been living in the Kingdom of Naples (Regno) were compelled to leave their monastery "on account of the prevailing wars." The political and military conflicts that constantly plagued medieval Italy had made their region unsafe, and they needed to find refuge elsewhere.

It was primarily through Clare's efforts—her personal intervention, her use of her family wealth and connections, her negotiations with civil and ecclesiastical authorities—that these Poor Clares were able to obtain both a convent building and the means to sustain themselves in Rimini. Clare welcomed these sisters, helped them establish themselves, and supported their community.

This charitable work brought Clare into close contact with the Poor Clares and deepened her understanding of and love for the Franciscan contemplative life.

Clare and Her Companions Enter Religious Life

After this successful collaboration, Clare felt called to take the next step in her own spiritual journey. She and "several other pious women" from her informal community sought and received permission to enter the Poor Clare Order as full members. This meant:

Taking solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience
Accepting enclosure (living within the monastery and not leaving except in extraordinary circumstances)
Following the Rule of Saint Clare with its emphasis on absolute poverty and contemplative prayer
Becoming part of the formal structure of the Church's religious life

This transition from informal lay penitent to professed religious was the culmination of Clare's conversion journey—from scandalous worldling to Franciscan tertiary to enclosed contemplative nun.

Appointment as Superioress

In recognition of her spiritual maturity, her wisdom, her administrative abilities, and the respect she commanded, Clare was elected or appointed as superioress of the Convent of Our Lady of the Angels (Santa Maria degli Angeli) in Rimini. Though scholarly research has raised questions about whether Clare actually founded this monastery or was simply instrumental in establishing the Poor Clares in Rimini, what is clear is that she held a position of leadership and spiritual authority within the community.

As superioress, Clare was responsible for:

Guiding the spiritual life of the community
Ensuring faithful observance of the Rule and constitutions
Maintaining discipline with charity
Providing spiritual direction to individual sisters
Managing the temporal affairs of the monastery
Representing the community to ecclesiastical and civil authorities

Clare proved to be an excellent superior—firm in maintaining discipline and fidelity to the Rule, yet gentle and maternal toward her sisters. She led by example, never asking her sisters to undertake any penance or practice that she herself did not perform. Her own life of prayer, charity, and joyful poverty inspired the entire community.

Mystical Graces and Miracles (1325-1346)

Numerous Miracles

The sources unanimously testify that Clare "worked numerous miracles," though unfortunately specific details of most of these miracles have not been preserved in the surviving documentation. These miracles likely included:

Healings: Clare prayed for sick people who were then cured of their ailments, often in ways that could not be explained by natural causes or medical intervention.

Multiplication of Food: When the monastery's provisions ran low, Clare's prayers sometimes resulted in miraculous multiplication of food or unexpected donations arriving at just the right moment.

Prophetic Knowledge: Clare demonstrated supernatural knowledge of future events or of hidden present circumstances.

Reading of Hearts: She could perceive the spiritual state of people who came to her, knowing their sins, temptations, and spiritual needs without being told.

Protection from Danger: The monastery and its inhabitants were miraculously protected from various threats through Clare's prayers.

Conversion of Sinners: Perhaps the greatest miracles were the transformations of souls—hardened sinners who encountered Clare or heard her counsel and were moved to genuine conversion.

The Gift of Contemplation

Toward the close of her life, Clare was "favored in an extraordinary manner with the gift of contemplation." This indicates that God elevated her to the highest levels of mystical prayer—states of union with God characterized by profound interior experiences of His presence, love, and truth.

Contemplation in the mystical sense is a supernatural gift (as distinguished from acquired contemplation, which can be developed through practice). It involves passive reception of divine illumination and love—God acting directly upon the soul in ways that transcend ordinary prayer and meditation. Those who receive this gift experience:

Infused Knowledge: Understanding of divine mysteries not gained through study but received directly from God
Experiential Union: Direct awareness of God's presence and activity in the soul
Transformative Love: An overwhelming sense of God's love that transforms the will and affections
Temporary Suspension of Ordinary Faculties: During states of ecstasy or rapture, the normal operations of the senses and intellect are suspended

Medieval sources describe contemplatives in such states as being "caught up in God," "ravished in spirit," or "lost in divine love." These experiences, while profoundly peaceful and joyful, often involved physical manifestations—the person might appear to be in a trance, might be insensible to external stimuli, might levitate or emit supernatural light, or might speak words of extraordinary wisdom while in this state.

The Famous Vision: Christ Enthroned

One particular vision granted to Clare became famous enough that it was depicted in paintings and frescoes. In this vision, Clare saw Christ enthroned in majesty, surrounded by the apostles and Saint John the Baptist. This was not merely an intellectual awareness or an imaginative meditation but an actual supernatural seeing—what mystics call an "intellectual vision" or "imaginative vision."

In the vision, Christ, the largest and most glorious figure, showed Clare the wound in His side—the sacred wound inflicted by the Roman soldier's spear at the Crucifixion. This sight moved Clare to deep compassion and love, reminding her that Christ's sufferings were endured for her and for all sinners.

As Clare prayed for mercy—both for herself and for all humanity—Saint John the Evangelist (depicted in the painting wearing pink robes) approached her and gave her a book. The book was inscribed with Christ's own words from John's Gospel: "My peace I give you; my peace I leave you" (John 14:27).

This vision encapsulates central themes of Clare's spirituality:

Christ's Merciful Love: The wound in Christ's side represents His sacrificial love and the infinite mercy available to sinners
The Peace of Christ: The promise of divine peace—not worldly security but the deep interior peace that comes from union with God
The Role of Scripture: The book given by John the Evangelist represents the importance of Sacred Scripture in the spiritual life
Mystical Union: The entire vision represents Clare's intimate communion with Christ and the saints

This vision was considered so important that it was commemorated in sacred art. A painting by Francesco da Rimini depicting "The Vision of the Blessed Clare of Rimini" now resides in the National Gallery in London. There is an almost identical smaller version in the Musée Fesch in Ajaccio, Corsica, which was part of an altarpiece made for the convent's parlour at Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rimini.

Death and Burial (February 10, 1346 or c. 1324-1329)

Final Days

Clare lived approximately twenty to thirty years after her conversion (depending on which dating of her birth and conversion is accepted). The traditional date given for her death is February 10, 1346, which would make her approximately 86 years old (if born around 1260) or 64 years old (if born around 1282).

However, modern scholarship, particularly the work of Giuseppe Garampi and Jacques Dalarun, suggests she may have died earlier, perhaps around 1324-1329. The uncertainty about exact dates reflects the limited and sometimes contradictory historical documentation.

What is certain is that Clare's final days were characterized by the same peace and joy that had marked her life since conversion. She had made her peace with God decades earlier, had spent years in prayer and penance, and had served God and neighbor with extraordinary charity. She had nothing to fear from death but rather looked forward to it as the moment of final union with her Beloved.

The sources suggest she died peacefully, surrounded by her sisters at the Convent of Our Lady of the Angels in Rimini, fortified by the last sacraments of the Church.

Burial in the Cathedral

Clare was initially buried in the church of her convent, Santa Maria degli Angeli. However, recognizing her sanctity and the growing popular devotion to her, ecclesiastical authorities later transferred her body to a place of greater honor: the Cathedral of Rimini (the Cathedral of Santa Colomba, now known as the Tempio Malatestiano after extensive Renaissance renovations).

Her relics were placed in a shrine where the faithful could venerate them and pray for her intercession. The translation of her body to the cathedral was itself a recognition of her sanctity and importance to the city of Rimini.

Immediate Veneration

Even before any official ecclesiastical approval, the people of Rimini venerated Clare as a saint. They came to her tomb to pray, to ask for her intercession, and to give thanks for graces received. Reports of miracles at her tomb multiplied—healings, conversions, protection from dangers, and other favors granted through her prayers.

Clare became a beloved patroness of Rimini, a source of local pride and spiritual comfort. Her story—from scandalous sinner to great saint—inspired countless people, especially those who had fallen into sin and despaired of God's mercy. Clare's life proclaimed the Gospel truth that no sinner is beyond redemption, that God's mercy is infinitely greater than any human sin.

Beatification and Cult

Early Devotion

For more than four centuries after her death, Clare was venerated locally in Rimini and among Franciscans, though without formal papal approval. Churches were dedicated to her, paintings depicted her life and visions, and the faithful invoked her intercession. This popular cult was based on her reputation for holiness, the miracles attributed to her intercession, and the ancient tradition of venerating holy persons even before formal canonization processes existed.

Giuseppe Garampi's Research

In 1751, Giuseppe Garampi, a brilliant scholar and ecclesiastic, was appointed Prefect of the Vatican Archives. Among his many scholarly projects was research into the life of Clare of Rimini. In 1755, he published Memorie Ecclesiastiche Appartenenti all'Istoria e al Culto della B. Chiara di Rimini (Ecclesiastical Memoirs Pertaining to the History and Cult of the Blessed Clare of Rimini).

This work was groundbreaking because Garampi published an anonymous 14th-century Italian vita (life or biography) of Clare that had served as the basis for all subsequent biographies. This vita was one of the earliest saints' lives originally written in Italian (rather than Latin) and, remarkably, was composed while Clare was still living or very shortly after her death.

However, Garampi's careful philological and historical analysis also raised important questions about some traditional claims:

He disputed the claim that Clare had been a formal Franciscan tertiary before becoming a Poor Clare
He questioned whether she had actually founded the monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rimini
He described her more accurately as similar to a Beguine—a devout laywoman who dressed in a religious habit and practiced poverty and penance but never took formal vows or lived under a rule until later entering the Poor Clares

Garampi's scholarly rigor, while clarifying the historical facts, also had an unintended consequence: the uncertainties he raised about details of Clare's life effectively halted efforts to have her formally canonized as a saint. Church authorities, wanting to be certain about the facts of a saint's life, hesitated to proceed with canonization when basic biographical details were in dispute.

Official Beatification by Pope Pius VI

Despite these scholarly questions, popular devotion to Clare continued, and eventually ecclesiastical authorities formally recognized her cult. On December 22, 1782 (some sources say 1784 or 1785), Pope Pius VI officially approved the cult of Blessed Clare of Rimini through the process called "Confirmation of Cult" or "Equipollent Beatification."

This meant that Clare was officially declared "Blessed" and her veneration was approved and regulated by the Church. The Holy Father permitted her feast to be celebrated in the city and Diocese of Rimini on February 10, the anniversary of her death.

This beatification was significant as a formal recognition by the universal Church of what the local Church in Rimini had believed for centuries: that Clare was truly holy, that her transformation from sinner to saint was genuine, that her miracles were authentic, and that her intercession in heaven was powerful.

Modern Scholarship

In recent decades, scholars have undertaken new critical studies of Clare of Rimini, most notably:

Jacques Dalarun, a French medieval historian, has produced important works including:

La Légende de Claire de Rimini (The Legend of Clare of Rimini), 1994
Claire de Rimini: Entre Sainteté et Hérésie (Clare of Rimini: Between Sanctity and Heresy), 1999
A new critical edition of the 14th-century Italian vita

Sean L. Field and Valerio Cappozzo, along with Dalarun, produced an English translation and scholarly edition titled A Female Apostle in Medieval Italy: The Life of Clare of Rimini (2017), which has made this important text accessible to English-speaking scholars and students.

This modern scholarship has revealed Clare to be a more complex and fascinating figure than earlier hagiography suggested:

She was part of a broader movement of lay female spirituality in medieval Italy
Her experiences of exile, political violence, and family tragedy shaped her spiritual development
She faced real opposition and accusations, navigating difficult relationships with ecclesiastical authorities
She represents the challenges and possibilities of female spiritual authority in the medieval Church
Her vita is an important literary and historical document in its own right

Spirituality and Legacy

The Spirituality of Radical Conversion

The heart of Clare of Rimini's spirituality is the theme of radical conversion—from grave sin to great holiness. Her life proclaims several essential truths:

1. God's Mercy is Greater than Any Sin: No matter how deeply someone has fallen into sin, no matter how scandalous their life has been, God's mercy is infinitely greater. Clare's transformation from a woman living in "sinful dissipation" to a great contemplative saint demonstrates that redemption is always possible.

2. Never Despair: Even when we have wasted years in sin, even when our past seems irredeemable, it is never too late to turn to God. Clare was in her mid-thirties when she converted—she had already lived half her life in worldliness and sin. Yet God still called her, still welcomed her, and still made her a great saint.

3. The Power of Small Beginnings: Clare's conversion began with a simple command: pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary with attention and devotion. This tiny seed of grace grew into a complete transformation. Great conversions often begin with small acts of obedience.

4. True Conversion Bears Fruit: Genuine conversion is not merely feeling sorry or making good intentions—it produces real change in behavior and abundant good works. Clare's conversion was proven by her charity, her penance, her good influence on others, and her miracles.

Penitential Spirituality

Clare embraced heroic penance not as an end in itself but as a way of:

Making Reparation: Offering voluntary suffering to atone for her former sins and the sins of others
Conforming to Christ: United to Christ's redemptive suffering on the Cross
Disciplining the Flesh: Bringing her body under the control of the spirit
Expressing Sorrow: External penances as expressions of interior contrition

Franciscan Spirituality

Clare's conversion and spiritual life were deeply influenced by Franciscan spirituality:

Poverty: Living simply, detached from material possessions
Humility: Rejecting pride and worldly status
Charity: Active love for the poor and suffering
Joy: Finding happiness in God rather than in created things
Contemplation: Seeking intimate union with God in prayer

Female Spiritual Authority

Clare represents an important example of female spiritual authority in medieval Christianity. Though she faced opposition and accusations, she:

Directed other women in the spiritual life
Exercised leadership in the community
Counseled and taught both women and men
Received and shared mystical revelations
Was recognized by many clergy and laity as a genuine holy woman

Her example contributed to the rich tradition of holy women in the Church who, despite the restrictions of their time, found ways to serve God and exercise spiritual influence.

Relevance for Today

What can Blessed Clare of Rimini teach us in the 21st century?

For Those Struggling with Sin

Clare's life offers tremendous hope to anyone trapped in patterns of sin, addiction, or destructive behavior. If God could transform Clare from a scandalous sinner into a great saint, He can do the same for anyone. No past is too shameful, no sin too great, no situation too hopeless for God's transforming grace.

For Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones to Violence

Clare experienced the trauma of witnessing her father and brother's execution and enduring exile and political persecution. She shows us that even the most devastating losses and traumatic experiences need not destroy us—they can, by grace, become opportunities for deeper conversion and growth in holiness.

For Those in the Midst of Grief

Clare lost both parents young, lost two husbands, and witnessed her family's destruction. Yet she found her way through grief to peace and joy. Her example encourages those mourning that healing is possible and that God can bring good even from terrible losses.

For Women Seeking Purpose

Clare found meaning and purpose not in the worldly pleasures and social status she had initially pursued but in serving God and neighbor. Her life challenges the contemporary idea that fulfillment comes from pleasure, wealth, or social success, pointing instead to the deep joy found in self-giving love.

For Anyone Feeling It's Too Late

Whether because of age, past mistakes, lost opportunities, or wasted years, many people feel that it's "too late" for them to change or to do something significant. Clare's mid-life conversion and subsequent twenty to thirty years of fruitful service demonstrate that it's never too late to begin again.

For Those Facing Opposition

Clare faced serious accusations and opposition despite her genuine holiness. Her experience reminds us that even when we're trying to serve God faithfully, we may face misunderstanding, criticism, or opposition. Perseverance in truth and charity, combined with trust in God's vindication, is the proper response.

Prayer for the Intercession of Blessed Clare of Rimini

O God, who through Your infinite mercy transformed Blessed Clare from a life of sin into a vessel of Your grace and an instrument of Your peace, grant us, through her intercession, the grace of sincere conversion from our sins, the courage to embrace heroic penance, and the wisdom to find our true happiness in You alone. May we, like Blessed Clare, respond generously to Your call, however late it may seem, and serve You faithfully in charity toward our neighbors, especially the poor, the sick, and those who have lost their way. Through her prayers, grant us the grace we seek [mention your request], if it be according to Your will and for our salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

Important Dates in the Life of Blessed Clare of Rimini

c. 1260 (or 1282): Born in Rimini, Italy, into the wealthy Agolanti family
c. 1267: Mother dies (Clare approximately 7 years old)
Late 1270s: Father dies; Clare marries first husband (a pious man)
Early 1280s: First husband dies; Clare becomes a young widow
c. 1290s: Political turmoil; Agolanti family exiled from Rimini
c. 1295: Returns to Rimini; witnesses execution of father and brother by rivals
c. 1295-1300: Second marriage to "a child of the world"; life of pleasure and scandal
c. 1294 or 1316 (at age 34): Conversion experience while attending Mass at Franciscan church
c. 1316: Joins Third Order of Saint Francis; begins life of penance and charity
c. 1320: Second husband dies; intensifies penitential practices
c. 1320-1325: Establishes informal community of devout women; faces accusations from some clergy
c. 1325: Helps Poor Clares expelled from Regno establish themselves in Rimini
c. 1325-1330: Enters Poor Clare Order with several companions; becomes superioress of Santa Maria degli Angeli convent
1325-1346: Life of prayer, miracles, and mystical graces; famous vision of Christ enthroned
February 10, 1346 (or c. 1324-1329): Dies peacefully in Rimini
1346+: Buried initially in convent church, later transferred to Cathedral of Rimini
1751: Giuseppe Garampi appointed Prefect of Vatican Archives
1755: Garampi publishes Memorie Ecclesiastiche with critical edition of Clare's vita
December 22, 1782 (or 1784/1785): Beatified by Pope Pius VI through Confirmation of Cult
2017: First English translation of Clare's vita published

Feast Day: February 10

Patronage: Rimini and the Diocese of Rimini; converted sinners; widows; those who have lost family members to violence; women seeking purpose; those beginning conversion later in life

Attributes: Franciscan or Poor Clare habit; book inscribed with "My peace I give you, my peace I leave you"; wound of Christ; symbols of penance (iron girdle, discipline); sometimes shown with a vision of Christ enthroned

Religious Order: Third Order of Saint Francis (Franciscan Secular); Order of Saint Clare (Poor Clares)

Also Known As: Chiara Agolanti; Chiara of Rimini; Clare Agolanti

May Blessed Clare of Rimini intercede for all sinners and inspire us never to despair of God's mercy, no matter how far we have strayed!

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Feb 10, 2015

⛪ Blessed Clare of Rimini: From Scandal to Sanctity