Catherine of Racconigi

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Catherine of Racconigi (Blessed Catherine Mattei) (1487 – 1574) was a member of the Dominican Order of the Roman Catholic Church. She is recognized for being a mystic and a stigmatic.

[edit] Biography

Blessed Catherine was born in Piedmont, Italy in 1487. She was born into an impoverished household. Her father was an unemployed locksmith while her mother was a weaver.

At the age of 5 she began to have visions of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. She would also begin to have visions of other saints such as Catherine of Siena. She began to have frequent ecstasies and visions.

Blessed Catherine eventually joined the Dominican order as a tertiary. As the visions increased she received the stigmata, although her wounds were concealed until after her death. During her lifetime, Catherine was sought for counsel and prayer. She oftened prayed for the salvation of soldiers who were dying in battle. Many miracles took place before and after her death.