Archangela Girlani

Blessed Archangela Girlani OCarm
Religious
Born	c.1460 Trino
Died	25 January 1495 (aged 33) Mantua
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	1 October 1864, Saint Peter's Basilica by Pope Pius IX
Attributes	Carmelite habit, with a dove holding a scroll

Archangela Girlani, OCarm (born Eleanora Girlani; 1460 – 25 January 1494) was an Italian Carmelite nun who was known for her mystical visions. Pope Pius IX beatified her on 1 October 1864.^[1]

Life

Eleanora Girlani was born in 1460 to a noble family of Trino in the Duchy of Savoy. Having been educated by the Benedictines, she had planned to become a Benedictine. However, on her way to the abbey, her horse refused to take her there. Interpreting this a sign, she instead became a Carmelite nun in Parma, and was given the religious name of Archangela.^[2] Two of her sisters, Francesca Scolastica and Maria, also entered the same community.^[3]

She made her first vows around 1478. Later she was elected the prioress of her monastery, and in 1492 went on to found a new Carmelite convent in Mantua.^[4]

Girlani is remembered as a mystic who had a special devotion to the Most Holy Trinity,^[5] and was reported to have the gifts of ecstasies, and miracles, including levitation.^[2]

Widespread devotion and reports of healing arose after her death in 1495. In 1802 the urn with her remains was transferred to the hospital church of S. Lorenzo in Trino.^[3] The Carmelites of the Italian provinces observe an optional memorial of Blessed Archangela on January 29.^[2]

References