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Ekaterina LaboureSaint of the Roman Catholic Church, mystic.
Date of Birth: 02.05.1806
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Early Life and Vocation
As a child from a humble farming background, Catherine Laboure longed to follow her older sister into the convent. However, her father refused her request, and in 1828, she was sent to Paris as a servant.
Despite her circumstances, Catherine's desire for religious life persisted. In early 1830, she wrote to the Daughters of Charity, a religious order dedicated to serving the poor. On April 21, 1830, she officially joined the order.
Ministry and visions
In 1831, Catherine was assigned to care for the elderly at a hospice founded by the Duchess of Bourbon. Initially, she worked in the poultry yard and laundry. However, in May 1835, she professed her vows, fully committing to the order.
Throughout her time at the hospice, Catherine experienced numerous spiritual visions. She saw Saint Vincent de Paul, the Virgin Mary, and received instructions to create a miraculous medal with the Virgin Mary's image.
The Miraculous Medal
In May 1831, Catherine's design for the medal was mass-produced. The Daughters of Charity distributed it widely in Paris, where cholera was rampant at the time. Catholics have since widely embraced the medal in their devotional practices.
Later Years and Canonization
Faced with political unrest in Paris during the Franco-Prussian War, Catherine briefly left the hospice in July 1870. She returned in May 1871 and continued to serve as the hospice's superior until her health declined in 1874.
Catherine passed away on December 31, 1876. In 1933, Pope Pius XI beatified her, and in 1947, Pope Pius XII canonized her as a saint. Her incorrupt body is interred in a chapel on Rue de Bac in Paris.
