Saint Hyacintha Mariscotti – Life, Legacy, and Canonization

ST. HYACINTHA MARISCOTTI

St. Hyacintha Mariscotti was a noblewoman who entered religious life out of personal disappointment, but later underwent a deep spiritual transformation. Renouncing luxury, she lived in penance and charity, especially serving the sick and poor in Viterbo. Her feast day is celebrated on January 30.

St. Hyacintha Mariscotti, born Clarice Marescotti on March 16, 1585, in Vignanello, near Viterbo, Italy, came from an aristocratic family. She was educated in the convent of St. Bernardino in Viterbo, where she would eventually return as a nun. Initially, Clarice did not choose religious life out of spiritual conviction but more out of emotional disappointment after her younger sister married the man she had hoped to wed. She entered the Third Order Regular of St. Francis and adopted the religious name Hyacintha, yet continued to live comfortably within the convent, keeping personal luxuries and avoiding the ascetic practices her vows demanded.

For the first ten years of her monastic life, Hyacintha was known more for her elegance than her holiness. She had her own private room, wore fine clothing under her habit, and maintained contact with worldly affairs. However, a serious illness and the admonishment of her confessor sparked a profound conversion. Deeply moved, she embraced a new life of strict penance and spiritual discipline. She discarded all her worldly possessions, lived in simplicity, and practiced fasting and mortification with great zeal.

Her reformation wasn't just personal—it extended outward in acts of profound charity. She founded two religious confraternities: one dedicated to caring for the sick and the poor, and another for providing necessities to the aged and prisoners. During a deadly plague in Viterbo, she became a beacon of compassion, working tirelessly to comfort and care for the afflicted, regardless of personal risk.

Hyacintha became an icon of repentance, spiritual transformation, and Christian charity. Her example inspired many, not only within her community but far beyond. She died on January 30, 1640, in Viterbo. Her incorrupt body was later enshrined in the same convent where she had lived and served, now named in her honor. Recognized for her virtuous life and miracles, she was beatified in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII and canonized on May 14, 1807, by Pope Pius VII.

Feast Day

30-1-

Birth Date

16-3-1585

Died Date

30-1-1640

Canonised Date

14-5-1807

Church of the former Monastery, Viterbo, Italy

St. Hyacintha Mariscotti, Devoted servant of God and model of holiness, Pray for us to live with deep faith and love. Help us to embrace humility and charity, And to follow Christ’s example in all we do. Amen.
ST. HYACINTHA MARISCOTTI

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ST. HYACINTHA MARISCOTTI

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