Post #5817

Catherine sided in favor of Urban VI, who had such esteem for this holy virgin, that he chose her for various missions. Finally, after having distinguished herself for every kind of virtue, for the gift of prophecy and made famous for a great number of miracles, she had come to the end of her run; she was thirty-three years old, when on the Sunday after the Ascension, the 29th of April 1380, in Rome, the celestial Spouse welcomed her into the bed of Paradise. Her virgin body was buried in Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome and is still preserved there under the high altar. Glorious for miracles, Pius II Piccolomini decreed her the honors of the saints on the 29th of June 1461 and set the feast on the first Sunday in May. Clement VIII transferred it to April 30, the day following her death. Urban VIII had the Office restored with new prayers. Pius IX counted her among the Patrons of Rome in 1866. Pius XII established her, together with St. Francis of Assisi, Patroness of Italy on 18th of June 1939.