OUR LADY OF NARNI

 Day 43: June 22




Born in the late fifteenth century, Blessed Lucia (“Lucy” in English) Brocadelli was from the ancient Umbrian town of Narni (“Narnia” in Latin). A pious child, she is said to have received visions from an early age. Following her father’s death in her early teens, she was married off by her uncle to Pietro, Count of Milan, though they lived as brother and sister.

As Countess, she was famed for her life of prayer and care for the poor, baking bread for them herself (ably assisted, it is said, by a number of Saints from Heaven). The lure of religious life proved irresistible. And the couple separated, she to become a Dominican tertiary, and he ultimately to join the Franciscans.

Among much else, Lucy of Narnia received the stigmata and became prioress of a convent, before ultimately spending her final four decades locked up by her successor. She died in 1544. In 1710, her body incorrupt, she was beatified by Pope Clement XI.

When only five years old, Lucy experienced her first vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When she was seven years old, she visited an uncle in whose home a picture of angels was painted on the ceiling. Lucy secretly went there to pray. She was favored by a heavenly vision of Our Lady, who gave Lucy her Divine Son to hold. Our Lord gave Lucy a ring, and Saint Dominic, who was also present in the vision, gave Lucy a scapular to wear at that time.

As she grew older, Lucy's family wished her to marry; at Lucy’s objection, the Blessed Mother appeared to her and bade her be wedded and imitate her in the life at Nazareth. Her husband, Pietro, agreed to respect Blessed Lucy’s vow of virginity. Although she led a saintly married life, she still had visions, as Saint Catherine, Saint Agnes, and Saint Agnes of Monte Pulciano frequently appeared to her.

Lucy’s desire to become a religious persisted. She finally influenced her husband to take the habit of Saint Francis, while she established at the Pope’s request, a convent in Ferrara. Lucy was marked with the stigmata of Christ and suffered much physically as well as spiritually. The members of her community for thirty-eight years were prejudiced against the saint, but Our Lady frequently consoled and strengthened her with visions.

A shrine to Our Lady of Narni was erected in memory of Blessed Lucy. Our Heavenly Mother granted many miracles after the death of Lucy showing how pleasing she was to her and her Divine Son. Blessed Lucy of Narnia died November 15, in the year 1544. Four years after her death, Lucy's body was exhumed and found to be incorrupt.


St Justin Russolillo Writes...


"Through the union with Mary we intend to know, love and possess God, together with the Blessed Mother. We likewise intend to know, love and have Mary, together with God, perpetually going from one to another, ever more intimately united to one for the sake of the other, and vice versa."

(Opera Omnia, vol. I, no. 348, quoted in: Louis Caputo, Justinian Anthology, Vocationist Editions, Palisades Park, 2013, p. 72)

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