A Scandal in the Convent: The Circumstances of Birth (1444)

Lucrezia Bellini was born in 1444 in the city of Padua, in northeastern Italy, within the walls of the Benedictine Convent of San Prosdocimo (Saint Prosdocimus). Her very existence was the fruit of scandal and the result of what could be called a "crisis pregnancy" in the most dramatic sense.

Her mother was Maddalena Cavalcabò, a Benedictine nun who had traveled from her own convent to spend time at San Prosdocimo in Padua. There, she engaged in a sexual relationship with a man (identified in some sources as Bellini, hence Lucrezia's surname), breaking her solemn vow of chastity and betraying her consecration to God.

The circumstances of this relationship remain unclear in the historical record. Was Maddalena seduced or coerced? Was she a willing participant in adultery? We cannot know with certainty. What we do know is that the relationship resulted in pregnancy, and that Maddalena gave birth to a daughter—little Lucrezia—right there in the convent.

The Corrupt Convent of San Prosdocimo

The fact that such a scandal could occur speaks volumes about the spiritual state of the Convent of San Prosdocimo at that time. This was not an isolated incident of one weak sister falling into sin in an otherwise holy community. Rather, the convent had "a reputation for disorder and a general lack of virtue," as contemporary sources note.

The nuns of San Prosdocimo had become lax in their observance of the Rule of Saint Benedict. Discipline had broken down. The practice of prayer had become perfunctory. The spirit of poverty, chastity, and obedience that should have characterized their lives had given way to worldliness, sensuality, and self-will. Some sources suggest that sexual misconduct was not uncommon in this corrupt community.

This was a tragedy not only for the individual nuns but for the entire Church in Padua. The convent, which should have been a beacon of holiness and a source of spiritual edification, had instead become a scandal and a source of shame.

The Shadow Over Lucrezia's Life

From the moment of her birth, Lucrezia lived under a shadow. She was:

Illegitimate: Born out of wedlock, the fruit of sin
The daughter of a wayward nun: Her very existence was living proof of her mother's infidelity to God
A scandal embodied: Her presence in the convent was a constant reminder of the community's corruption
Rejected and unwanted: Many people believed she should never have been born

This inauspicious beginning would mark Lucrezia's entire life. She would face rejection, suspicion, and hostility from the very people who should have cared for her most—the nuns among whom she lived.

Childhood in the Convent and Her Father's Home (1444-1461)

Early Years: Sources Differ

The historical sources present somewhat conflicting accounts of Lucrezia's early childhood, with different versions emerging from various documents:

Version 1 - Raised in the Convent: Some sources indicate that Lucrezia grew up within the walls of the convent itself, educated at the convent school for girls, and that the scandal of her birth was somewhat tolerated (at least for a time) by the corrupt community.

Version 2 - Living with Father and Stepmother: Other sources suggest that when the Bishop of Padua discovered the scandal, he intervened to reorganize the convent. Lucrezia's mother was presumably separated from her child, and little Lucrezia was sent to live in the home of her father and her abusive stepmother. This version depicts a childhood marked by abuse and mistreatment at the hands of a stepmother who resented her presence.

Version 3 - A Combination: It's possible that Lucrezia lived first in the convent, then with her father after episcopal intervention, and then returned to the convent school as a student after her father's death (which occurred while she was still quite young).

Education at the Convent School

What is clear is that at some point, Lucrezia attended the school for girls operated by the Benedictine nuns at San Prosdocimo. Despite the scandal of her origins and the dysfunction of the community, she received an education—learning to read and write, basic arithmetic, needlework, music, and of course, religious instruction.

Remarkably, during her time as a student, Lucrezia did not exhibit any of the strange symptoms that would later plague her. As one source notes, "Her strange symptoms happened when she was living in her father's home and then again after she became a Benedictine novice. They disappeared when she was a student in a Benedictine school."

This pattern—symptoms in certain environments, calm in others—would be significant in understanding Lucrezia's later trials.

Episcopal Reform: A New Beginning (1461)

The Bishop's Intervention

The Bishop of Padua, who had been "concerned for years about the lack of discipline and piety among the nuns" at San Prosdocimo, finally decided that the time had come for radical reform. The convent could no longer be allowed to continue in its scandalous state.

The bishop took decisive action:

1. Expulsion of the Corrupt Nuns: He commanded the wayward nuns to leave the convent and return to their families. The community that had allowed such disorder and vice was dissolved.

2. Introduction of Observant Nuns: He invited nuns from a more observant Benedictine community to take over San Prosdocimo and its school. These sisters were known for their strict adherence to the Rule of Saint Benedict and their genuine piety.

3. Dismissal of Students: Almost all the students at the convent school were sent home as part of the reorganization.

Lucrezia: No Other Home

But seventeen-year-old Lucrezia had nowhere else to go. Her father had died while she was still young. Her mother had presumably been sent away with the other expelled nuns. She had no family willing or able to take her in.

Recognizing her desperate situation, and perhaps also sensing something in her character that spoke of genuine faith despite her unfortunate origins, the bishop allowed Lucrezia to remain at the convent.

The Call to Religious Life (1461)

An Unexpected Vocation

Living in the reformed convent, observing the new community of devout Benedictine nuns, participating in their prayer and liturgy, Lucrezia felt something stirring in her heart: a call to religious life.

Despite everything—despite the scandal of her birth, despite having witnessed firsthand the corruption that religious life could descend into, despite knowing that many people would oppose her vocation—Lucrezia desired to become a Benedictine nun. She wanted to consecrate herself to God, to live the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, to dedicate her life to prayer and service.

This desire was genuine, deep, and persistent. It was not a matter of convenience (staying where she already lived) or lack of options (though she had few). It was a true vocation, a calling from God.

Strong Opposition

When Lucrezia expressed her desire to enter the novitiate, she faced fierce opposition from many of the nuns in the reformed community:

Their Objections:

Illegitimate birth: Canon Law and social custom of the era often barred illegitimate children from religious life
Daughter of a wayward nun: Her mother's sin seemed to disqualify her
Bad example: They feared that the bad example of the previous corrupt nuns would have contaminated Lucrezia, making her unsuitable for religious life
Scandal: Her very presence would remind everyone of the convent's shameful past
Prejudice: Simple prejudice against someone of questionable origins

The nuns initially rejected her application, refusing to accept her as a postulant.

The Bishop's Defense

But the Bishop of Padua—the same bishop who had reformed the convent and who had shown pastoral concern for Lucrezia by allowing her to remain when all other students were sent away—now intervened again on her behalf.

The bishop recognized the authenticity of Lucrezia's vocation. He saw past the scandal of her birth to the genuineness of her desire to serve God. He understood that God's call does not depend on human worthiness or social respectability, but on divine election and grace.

He overruled the nuns' objections and ordered them to accept Lucrezia as a candidate.

This episcopal intervention was crucial. Without it, Lucrezia would have been turned away, and her story would have ended in tragedy rather than sanctity. The bishop's willingness to defend an unpopular cause for the sake of justice and truth was itself an act of virtue.

Reception of the Habit and the Name "Eustochium" (1461)

Entrance into the Novitiate

In 1461, at the age of seventeen, Lucrezia entered the novitiate of the reformed Benedictine community at San Prosdocimo. Despite the reluctance of many nuns, she was officially received as a postulant and began her formation for religious life.

The New Name: Eustochium

At her reception, Lucrezia received a new name—a name that would mark her new identity as a religious: Eustochium.

This name was rich in meaning and significance. Saint Eustochium (c. 368 – c. 419) was one of the great women saints of the early Church—a Roman noblewoman who became a disciple of Saint Jerome, the great biblical scholar and Doctor of the Church. Saint Eustochium dedicated her life to virginity and scholarship, assisting Jerome in his translation of the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate). She was known for her learning, her asceticism, her holiness, and her faithful devotion to Christ.

By receiving the name Eustochium, Lucrezia was being given a model and a patron—a saint who, like her, had dedicated herself to God despite opposition, who had lived a life of heroic virtue, and who had assisted in the great work of making God's Word accessible to the faithful.

The name also symbolized Lucrezia's complete break with her past. She was no longer "Lucrezia Bellini, the illegitimate daughter of a wayward nun." She was now "Sister Eustochium, a Benedictine novice, a bride of Christ."

The Four Years of Torment (1461-1465)

The Onset of Violent Symptoms

Soon after beginning her novitiate, Sister Eustochium began to experience violent, hysterical fits. The sources describe these episodes in disturbing terms:

Violent outbursts of temper: Uncontrollable rage and anger
Wild, mad behavior: Acting in bizarre, irrational ways
Self-harm: She cut herself with knives, inflicting wounds on her own body
Periods of melancholy: Deep depression alternating with the violent episodes
Stubborn and ill-tempered behavior: At times she was obstinate and difficult
Physical manifestations: The symptoms were not merely psychological but involved physical violence

These episodes would come upon her suddenly and unpredictably. Between these bouts, she was gentle, pious, patient, and humble—displaying all the virtues one would hope to see in a novice. But then the fits would return, and she would again become a frightening, disturbing presence in the community.

This pattern continued for four years—from approximately 1461 to 1465.

The Question: Possession or Mental Illness?

From the very beginning, there was debate about the nature of Sister Eustochium's affliction:

The Possession Hypothesis: Many of the nuns and townspeople believed she was possessed by demons. They saw her symptoms as clear evidence of diabolical influence or even full demonic possession. This interpretation was common in the 15th century, when the distinctions between mental illness, neurological disorders, and genuine demonic activity were poorly understood.

The Mental Illness Hypothesis: Modern interpreters, looking back at the historical record, have suggested that Sister Eustochium may have suffered from what we would today recognize as severe mental illness—perhaps bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy with psychological symptoms, severe depression with psychotic features, or some combination of these conditions.

The Hybrid Theory: Some theologians and commentators have suggested that Sister Eustochium's case may have involved both mental illness and demonic oppression or possession. It's possible that a psychological condition made her more vulnerable to demonic attack, or that demons exploited an underlying condition to torment her.

The Spiritual Explanation: Some sources propose that "something about her parents' relationship opened the door for demonic involvement in Eustochium's life, through no fault of her own." The theory is that the sexual sin committed by her mother (a consecrated nun) and her father may have created a spiritual vulnerability that demons could exploit to attack Eustochium, even though she herself was innocent.

Treatment: Imprisonment and Exorcism

The community's response to Sister Eustochium's affliction, while understandable given 15th-century medical and theological knowledge, was harsh and likely made her suffering worse:

Imprisonment: Sister Eustochium was imprisoned in a cell in the convent, locked away to protect the other nuns and to prevent her from harming herself or others. At one point, she was imprisoned in a dungeon for three months by order of the bishop.

Binding and Restraint: She was tied up for days at a time, physically restrained to prevent her violent outbursts and self-harm.

Starvation: She was fed only bread and water and was periodically starved as a form of punishment or attempted exorcism.

Repeated Exorcisms: The Church performed repeated exorcisms on Sister Eustochium, attempting to expel the demons they believed were possessing her. The Rite of Exorcism in that era could be lengthy, frightening, and physically demanding for the person being exorcised.

Social Isolation: The other nuns shunned her and avoided her completely, leaving her in terrifying loneliness.

These treatments, while motivated by genuine concern for Sister Eustochium's soul and for the safety of the community, likely constituted additional trauma layered on top of her already severe suffering.

The Accusation of Poisoning the Abbess

The crisis reached its peak when the Abbess fell ill with a mysterious sickness. Immediately, suspicion fell on Sister Eustochium. The nuns and townspeople concluded that she had poisoned the Abbess through diabolical means—using witchcraft or demonic power to strike down the superior who had authority over her.

A mob of townspeople gathered, intent on burning Sister Eustochium as a demon or a witch. They demanded that she be expelled from the convent and destroyed. The fear and hatred that had built up over four years of her disturbing behavior now erupted into violent intent.

Sister Eustochium came within moments of being killed by this mob. Only the intervention of cooler heads—her confessor, the bishop, perhaps the abbess herself from her sickbed—prevented her from being dragged out and burned.

Mercifully, the abbess recovered from her illness. It became clear that Sister Eustochium had not poisoned her, that the illness had natural causes, and that the accusations had been unfounded. But the damage had been done—Sister Eustochium's reputation was ruined, and most people remained convinced she was dangerous.

The Turning Point: A Wise Confessor

In the midst of this nightmare, God provided Sister Eustochium with what she desperately needed: a wise and patient confessor and spiritual director who believed in her.

This priest—whose name is not preserved in the sources—recognized something that others had missed: beneath the disturbing symptoms, there was a genuinely holy soul. He saw that between the bouts of affliction, Sister Eustochium was gentle, pious, patient, and humble. He observed that she bore all her sufferings "apparently seeing it all as a form of penance."

Most importantly, he discerned that her vocation was genuine. Despite everything, Sister Eustochium had not abandoned her desire to be a nun. She had not given up, had not run away, had not renounced her vows (which she had not yet made formally). Her persistence in clinging to her vocation despite years of torment was itself evidence of grace.

This confessor insisted that Sister Eustochium be allowed to continue with her vocation and to make her formal profession of vows.

His intervention was crucial. Without his advocacy, Sister Eustochium would have been expelled from the convent or possibly killed. His recognition of her holiness amid her affliction saved her life and enabled her to complete her vocation.

The Mysterious End of the Affliction

At some point around 1465, after four years of torment, Sister Eustochium's affliction ceased.

The violent fits stopped. The self-harm ended. The episodes of bizarre behavior became less frequent and then disappeared entirely. Whatever had been tormenting her—demons, mental illness, or both—released its grip.

From that time forward, Sister Eustochium conquered what appeared to be diabolical attacks and became the model religious she had always aspired to be. She was able to live a normal conventual life, participating fully in the community's prayer and work.

The nuns who had shunned her and feared her gradually came to recognize her virtues. They saw her incredible patience in suffering, her humility, her charity, her obedience, and her deep prayer life. Many who had initially opposed her admission now came to revere her as a holy woman.

Profession of Vows and Final Years (1465-1469)

Formal Profession

After the cessation of her affliction, Sister Eustochium was finally permitted to make her formal profession of vows—to publicly and solemnly commit herself to God through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to the Rule of Saint Benedict.

This was the moment she had longed for through four years of hell. She was now, fully and officially, a Benedictine nun—a bride of Christ, a member of the community, a woman consecrated to God's service.

The profession ceremony must have been deeply moving. This young woman who had been rejected, imprisoned, starved, exorcised, accused of witchcraft, and nearly burned alive was now kneeling before the altar, making her solemn vows, singing the traditional profession chant: "Suscipe me, Domine" ("Receive me, O Lord, according to Your word, and I shall live; and let me not be confounded in my hope").

Brief but Blessed Religious Life

Sister Eustochium's life as a professed religious was tragically brief. She lived only a short time after her profession—perhaps a few months, perhaps a year or two at most. The sources state that she "died very soon after her formal vows."

The four years of torment, the deprivations, the imprisonment, the starvation, the psychological and spiritual trauma—all of this had weakened her health a great deal. Her body, though young (she was only in her early twenties), had been pushed beyond its limits.

But these final months or years, brief as they were, allowed Sister Eustochium to live the life she had always desired—a life of prayer, community, work, and service according to the Benedictine way. She could finally experience peace, acceptance, and the joy of living her vocation without the torment that had plagued her novitiate.

Death and the Miraculous Sign (February 13, 1469)

A Holy Death

On February 13, 1469, Sister Eustochium died at the Convent of San Prosdocimo in Padua. She was approximately 25 years old (sources differ slightly on whether she was born in 1433 or 1444, which would make her either 26 or 25 at death).

Her death was peaceful—a stark contrast to the violence and turmoil of her earlier years. She died surrounded by her sisters in religion, fortified by the last sacraments, ready to meet her divine Bridegroom whom she had loved and served despite every obstacle.

The Stigmatic Sign: The Name of Jesus

When the nuns prepared Sister Eustochium's body for burial, as was customary, washing and clothing her in her religious habit, they made an astonishing discovery:

The name of Jesus was found cauterized (burned) on her breast.

The sacred name "JESUS" (or "IHS," the traditional abbreviation) appeared on her chest as if branded or burned into her flesh—not as a wound but as a permanent mark, a supernatural sign.

This was immediately recognized as a miracle—a mystical stigmata, a sign from God confirming Sister Eustochium's holiness and her intimate union with Christ. Just as Saint Francis of Assisi had received the visible wounds of Christ (the stigmata) on his hands, feet, and side, Sister Eustochium had received the invisible but now-revealed mark of Jesus' name upon her heart.

The meaning was clear: this woman, who had been rejected by many as possessed by demons, was in fact possessed by Christ. Her heart belonged entirely to Jesus. The name of her Beloved was literally inscribed upon her body, visible proof of her sanctity.

This miraculous sign immediately changed the community's perception of Sister Eustochium. Any lingering doubts about whether she had been holy or demonized were dispelled. The nuns who had shunned her now wept with remorse and gratitude. God Himself had vindicated His servant.

Burial and the Discovery of Incorruption (1469-1472)

Initial Burial

Sister Eustochium was buried with honor in the convent cemetery or church at San Prosdocimo. Given the miraculous sign of Jesus' name on her breast, her burial was likely attended with special reverence, though formal beatification would not come for centuries.

Discovery of Incorruption: 1472

Three years after her burial (some sources say 1472, three years after death in 1469; other chronologies differ slightly), an extraordinary event occurred:

When Sister Eustochium's tomb was opened—perhaps for the purpose of moving her remains to a more honorable location, or in response to reports of miracles at her grave—her body was discovered to be incorrupt.

Incorruption (the miraculous preservation of a saint's body from the normal processes of decay) has been recognized throughout Church history as a potential sign of sanctity. While not infallible proof (not all saints are incorrupt, and incorruption can occasionally occur through natural causes), it is often interpreted as a divine sign that the person is in heaven and that God wishes to honor their body—the temple of the Holy Spirit during life.

Sister Eustochium's incorrupt body was itself preaching a sermon: the woman who had been thought possessed by demons, whose body had been bound and imprisoned and starved, was now shown to be a vessel of divine grace, preserved by God as a precious relic.

Episcopal Action: Biography and Translation

The Bishop of Padua, recognizing the significance of these miraculous signs, took two important actions:

1. Commissioned a Biography: He ordered that a biography be written documenting Sister Eustochium's life, her sufferings, her virtues, and the miracles associated with her. This biography, written approximately eighteen years after her death by a subsequent Bishop of Padua (who either knew her personally or gathered testimony from those who had), became the primary source for all later accounts of her life.

2. Translation of Her Body: The bishop ordered that Sister Eustochium's incorrupt body be moved to a place of greater honor—likely a chapel or shrine within the convent church where she could be properly venerated and where pilgrims could come to pray at her tomb.

The Authenticity of Her Story

Some modern skeptics have questioned whether Sister Eustochium's story is historical fact or pious legend. However, several factors support its authenticity:

1. The biography was written relatively soon after her death (about 18 years), when many people who knew her were still alive to provide testimony.

2. The author was a bishop of Padua, a responsible ecclesiastical authority, not a popular hagiographer prone to exaggeration.

3. Later manuscripts tell essentially the same story, without significant embroidery or creative retelling, suggesting a stable tradition based on fact.

4. The details are unflattering and bizarre: If the story were merely fabricated to glorify Padua or the convent, why invent such disturbing elements as possession, imprisonment, accusations of witchcraft, and attempted mob violence? These details would have frightened rather than edified medieval readers. The fact that they're included suggests they're historical.

5. The reformed convent had no reason to fabricate a story about a demon-possessed nun—it would only remind people of the convent's scandalous past.

Popular Devotion and Beatification (1469-1760)

Centuries of Local Veneration

For nearly three centuries after her death, Sister Eustochium was venerated locally in Padua as a holy woman, though without formal papal approval. Her incorrupt body, her tomb, and the memory of her miraculous signs attracted pilgrims and devotees.

The faithful of Padua considered her their own saint—a woman who had overcome impossible obstacles through faith and patience, who had been vindicated by God Himself, and who now interceded for them from heaven.

Confirmation of Cult: 1760

Finally, in 1760, Pope Clement XIII (formerly Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, himself Venetian and familiar with the devotional traditions of northeastern Italy) officially confirmed Sister Eustochium's cult.

This "confirmation of cult" (also called "equipollent beatification") was the formal recognition that the long-standing popular veneration of Sister Eustochium was legitimate and should be regulated by the Church. It effectively beatified her, though without the full formal process of modern beatifications.

From 1760 forward, she has been known as Blessed Eustochium of Padua and her veneration has been authorized by the Church.

Liturgical Celebration

Blessed Eustochium's feast day was established as February 13, the anniversary of her holy death. She is venerated liturgically in Padua and among Benedictines, particularly those with connections to the Paduan tradition.

Spirituality and Theological Significance

The Spirituality of Blessed Eustochium

Several themes emerge from Blessed Eustochium's life that illuminate her spiritual significance:

1. Redemption of Scandal: Blessed Eustochium was born from scandal—the fruit of a nun's broken vow. Yet God redeemed this shameful beginning, using it as the starting point for a saint's life. She demonstrates that no one is beyond redemption, that no circumstances of birth or family history can prevent God's grace from working.

2. Suffering and Sanctity: Blessed Eustochium's four years of torment—whether from demons, mental illness, or both—did not prevent her from becoming holy. In fact, her patient endurance of this suffering, her refusal to abandon her vocation despite everything, and her humility and charity between episodes all contributed to her sanctification. She shows that holiness is compatible with suffering, even severe mental and spiritual anguish.

3. Persistence in Vocation: Despite facing rejection, opposition, imprisonment, exorcism, starvation, and mob violence, Blessed Eustochium never abandoned her call to religious life. Her persistence is a powerful witness to the importance of following one's vocation even when the path is extraordinarily difficult.

4. Divine Vindication: God vindicated Blessed Eustochium in multiple ways—the cessation of her affliction, the miraculous sign of Jesus' name on her breast, the incorruption of her body, and ultimately her beatification. This vindication teaches us that God sees the truth of the heart, even when humans misjudge and condemn.

5. Victim of Spiritual Warfare: If Blessed Eustochium was indeed a victim of demonic attack (as seems likely given the testimony and the Church's approval of her cult), her life illustrates the reality of spiritual warfare and the devil's attempts to destroy holy vocations. But it also shows that God's grace is more powerful than any demonic assault.

Relevance for Today

What can Blessed Eustochium teach us in the 21st century?

For Those Born in Difficult Circumstances: Blessed Eustochium offers hope to anyone born into shame, scandal, or dysfunction. Your origins do not define your destiny. God can bring sanctity from any beginning.

For Those Struggling with Mental Illness: Blessed Eustochium is a patron for those battling mental illness, depression, and psychological suffering. Her experience reminds us that mental illness does not disqualify someone from holiness or from living out their vocation.

For Those Who Feel Possessed or Oppressed: Whether by demons or by circumstances, many people feel trapped, controlled, tormented. Blessed Eustochium's eventual freedom and vindication offer hope that deliverance is possible.

For Those Facing Rejection: Blessed Eustochium was rejected by her community, falsely accused, and nearly killed by a mob. Yet she did not become bitter or vengeful. Her patience in the face of injustice is a model for all who suffer rejection.

For Those Discerning Vocations: Blessed Eustochium's persistence in pursuing her vocation despite opposition reminds us that genuine calls from God will often face obstacles—but we must persevere.

For Religious Communities: Blessed Eustochium's story challenges religious communities to see Christ in the difficult, disturbing, or unlikable person in their midst. The nuns who shunned her missed the opportunity to serve a future blessed; those who showed her charity participated in her sanctification.

Prayer for the Intercession of Blessed Eustochium of Padua

O God, who brought Blessed Eustochium from the scandal of her birth through years of terrible suffering to the glory of sanctity and eternal life, grant us, through her intercession, the grace to trust in Your mercy no matter what our origins or circumstances, the patience to endure suffering without losing faith, and the courage to persist in our vocations despite opposition and trials. May we, like Blessed Eustochium, bear Your name written on our hearts, and may our lives give witness to the truth that no one is beyond the reach of Your redeeming love. Through her prayers, grant us the grace we seek [mention your request], especially for those who suffer from mental illness, those born in difficult circumstances, and those who feel rejected or possessed by evil. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

Important Dates in the Life of Blessed Eustochium of Padua

1444: Born as Lucrezia Bellini at San Prosdocimo convent in Padua, Italy
c. 1444-1461: Childhood; various accounts differ on whether she lived in convent, with father, or both
c. 1455: Father dies (while she was still quite young)
1461: Bishop of Padua reforms San Prosdocimo; expels corrupt nuns; invites observant community
1461: Lucrezia (age 17) asks to enter novitiate; nuns reject her; bishop overrules and admits her
1461: Receives religious habit and name "Eustochium"
1461-1465: Four years of violent fits, imprisonment, exorcisms, and torment
c. 1463-1464: Abbess falls ill; Eustochium accused of poisoning her; mob threatens to burn her
c. 1465: Affliction ceases; wise confessor insists she be allowed to continue
c. 1465: Sanctity begins to win over the community
c. 1465-1469: Makes formal profession of vows; brief period of peaceful religious life
February 13, 1469: Dies at San Prosdocimo (age 24-25)
1469: Name of Jesus discovered cauterized on her breast
1472 (3 years after death): Body discovered incorrupt; bishop orders biography written
1472: Body translated to place of greater honor
1487: Biography completed by Bishop of Padua (18 years after death)
1469-1760: Popular veneration in Padua
1760: Cult confirmed by Pope Clement XIII; effectively beatified
1760-present: Venerated as Blessed Eustochium of Padua

Feast Day: February 13

Patronage: Those born in scandal or difficult circumstances; those suffering from mental illness; victims of false accusations; those experiencing demonic oppression; those facing rejection; novices in religious life; those persevering in vocation despite obstacles; the city of Padua; Benedictine nuns

Attributes: Benedictine habit; the name "JESUS" or "IHS" on her breast; incorrupt body; chains (symbol of her imprisonment); lilies (symbol of purity despite scandal)

Also Known As: Lucrezia Bellini; Eustochia of Padua; the Cinderella of the Cloister

Religious Order: Order of Saint Benedict (OSB), Benedictine nuns

Titles: Virgin; Mystic; Stigmatic (bearing the name of Jesus)

May Blessed Eustochium of Padua intercede for all who suffer unjustly and inspire us to trust in God's redemptive power!

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Feb 13, 2018

⛪ Blessed Eustochium of Padua: The Cinderella of the Cloister