Hyacintha Mariscotti
Encyclopedia
Saint Hyacintha Mariscotti, T.O.R., or Hyacintha of Mariscotti (in Italian Giacinta Marescotti) was a nun
of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. She was born in 1585 of a noble family at Vignanello
, near Viterbo
in Italy, and died 30 January 1640 at Viterbo. Her feast is 30 January; in Rome, 6 February (Diarium Romanum).
Her parents were Marcantonio Mariscotti (Marius Scotus) and Ottavia Orsini. At baptism
she received the name Clarice and in early youth was remarkable for piety, but, as she grew older, she became frivolous, which not even the almost-miraculous saving of her life at the age of 17 could change, nor her education at the Monastery
of St. Bernardine at Viterbo, a religious community of Franciscan tertiary
nuns, where an older sister had already taken the veil.
At the age of 20 she set her heart upon marriage with the Marquess Capizucchi, but was passed over in favor of a younger sister. Disappointed, she entered the monastery in Viterbo where she had been educated, receiving the name Hyacintha. She admitted later that she did this only to hide her chagrin and not to give up the luxuries of the world. She kept her own kitchen, wore a habit of the finest material, and received and paid visits at pleasure.
For ten years, she kept up this life, in defiance of her vows, but at the same time, retained a lively faith, was regular in her devotions, remained pure, always showed a great respect for the mysteries of religion, and had a tender devotion to the Virgin Mary
. Due to a severe illness, the priest
who was the confessor
to the monastery
went to her cell to bring her Holy Communion. Shocked by the display of luxuries he saw there, he admonished her to a closer observance of the way of life to which she had committed herself.
She saw the folly of the past and enacted a complete change in her life. She made a public confession of her faults in the refectory, discarded her costly garments, wore an old habit, went barefoot, frequently fasted on bread and water, chastised her body by vigils and severe scourging, and practiced mortifications to such an extent that the decree of canonization considers the preservation of her life a continued miracle. During the outbreak of a plague in the city, she became noted for her devotion in nursing the sick. She went on to establish two confraternities
, whose members were called Oblates of Mary or "Sacconi". One of these, similar to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, gathered alms for the convalescent, for the poor who were ashamed to beg, and for the care of prisoners; the other procured homes for the aged.
Her reputation for holiness was so great, that, after her death, her religious habit
had to be replaced three times, due to pieces of it being snipped off by the people for relics .
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. She was born in 1585 of a noble family at Vignanello
Vignanello
Vignanello is a comune in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region Latium, located about 60 km northwest of Rome and about 14 km southeast of Viterbo...
, near Viterbo
Viterbo
See also Viterbo, Texas and Viterbo UniversityViterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It is approximately 80 driving / 80 walking kilometers north of GRA on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and...
in Italy, and died 30 January 1640 at Viterbo. Her feast is 30 January; in Rome, 6 February (Diarium Romanum).
Her parents were Marcantonio Mariscotti (Marius Scotus) and Ottavia Orsini. At baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
she received the name Clarice and in early youth was remarkable for piety, but, as she grew older, she became frivolous, which not even the almost-miraculous saving of her life at the age of 17 could change, nor her education at the Monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of St. Bernardine at Viterbo, a religious community of Franciscan tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
nuns, where an older sister had already taken the veil.
At the age of 20 she set her heart upon marriage with the Marquess Capizucchi, but was passed over in favor of a younger sister. Disappointed, she entered the monastery in Viterbo where she had been educated, receiving the name Hyacintha. She admitted later that she did this only to hide her chagrin and not to give up the luxuries of the world. She kept her own kitchen, wore a habit of the finest material, and received and paid visits at pleasure.
For ten years, she kept up this life, in defiance of her vows, but at the same time, retained a lively faith, was regular in her devotions, remained pure, always showed a great respect for the mysteries of religion, and had a tender devotion to the Virgin Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
. Due to a severe illness, the priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
who was the confessor
Confessor
-Confessor of the Faith:Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith, but not to the point of death. The term is still used in this way in the East. In Latin Christianity it has come to signify any saint, as well as those who have been declared...
to the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
went to her cell to bring her Holy Communion. Shocked by the display of luxuries he saw there, he admonished her to a closer observance of the way of life to which she had committed herself.
She saw the folly of the past and enacted a complete change in her life. She made a public confession of her faults in the refectory, discarded her costly garments, wore an old habit, went barefoot, frequently fasted on bread and water, chastised her body by vigils and severe scourging, and practiced mortifications to such an extent that the decree of canonization considers the preservation of her life a continued miracle. During the outbreak of a plague in the city, she became noted for her devotion in nursing the sick. She went on to establish two confraternities
Confraternity
A confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy...
, whose members were called Oblates of Mary or "Sacconi". One of these, similar to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, gathered alms for the convalescent, for the poor who were ashamed to beg, and for the care of prisoners; the other procured homes for the aged.
Her reputation for holiness was so great, that, after her death, her religious habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
had to be replaced three times, due to pieces of it being snipped off by the people for relics .