Illustration of Blessed Christine of Spoleto by János Hajnal in Il fascino di Dio: Profili de agiografia agostiniana by Fernando Rojo Martínez, O.S.A. Copyright © 2000 Pubblicazioni Agostiniane Rome. Used with permission. Original art preserved in the Office of Augustinian Postulator of Causes, Rome
Blessed Christine of Spoleto
February 13
Blessed Christine of Spoleto (d. 1458), after several years of living contrary to God's ways, gave herself to Jesus, became an Augustinian Tertiary and gained a reputation as a holy woman and miracle-worker.
Born Agostina Camozzi in Osteno, Como, Italy, whe was the daughter of a well-known doctor. While still young, she married a stone cutter, who died a short time later.
Agostina then lived as the mistress of a soldier. She gave birth to an out-of-wedlock son. This child died at an early age.
She married again. This husband was murdered by a jealous rival.
After this, Agostina decided to reform her life. She turned to Christ and became an Augustinian Tertiary. She decided to change her name to Christina, reflecting the primary place that Christ now occupied in her life.
She lived in several Augustinian convents, finally settling in Spoleto, devoting herself to prayer, penance and works of mercy. She developed a reputation for great holiness and as a worker of miracles.
Christine set off in 1457 on a pilgrimage that was to take her to the Holy Sepulchre. However, she was unable to go beyond Spoleto, where she died February 13, 1458. Her remains were originally preserved in Spoleto at the former Augustinian church of St. Nicholas. Later her body was moved to the Church of Saint Gregory the Great.
Pope Gregory XVI declared her Blessed in 1834.
