| Saint Galla | |
|---|---|
| Died | 550 Rome |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Major shrine | Chiesa di Santa Galla, Rome |
| Feast | 5 October |
Galla of Rome was a 6th-century Roman widow and saint.
Galla was the daughter of Roman patrician Symmachus the Younger, who was appointed consul in 485. Galla was also the sister-in-law of Boethius. Her father, Symmachus the Younger, was condemned to death, unjustly, by Theodoric in 525. Galla was then married but was soon widowed, just over a year after marriage. It was believed that she grew a beard, to avoid further offers of marriage. Being wealthy, she decided to retreat to the Vatican Hill, and found a hospital and a convent, near St. Peter's Basilica. Galla is reputed to have once healed a deaf and mute girl, by blessing some water, and giving it to the girl to drink. Galla remained there for the rest of her life, tending to the sick and poor, before dying in 550, of breast cancer.[1]
A biography of Galla's life is present in the Dialogues, of Saint Gregory the Great. Galla is also believed to be the inspiration for the letter of Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe, titled "De statu viduarum". The old church dedicated to St. Galla, was located near the Piazza Montanara, but was demolished in the 1930, to make way for a new road, the Via del Teatro Marcello. The new church dedicated to St. Galla was concercrated in 1940, and is located in the Ostiense quarter. The old church once contained a picture of Our Lady, which represents a vision of Our Lady to St. Galla. It is now placed over the high altar of the church Santa Maria in Campitelli.[2]
Galla is one of the 140 Colonnade saints which adorn St. Peter's Square.