Frances of Rome

Saint Frances of Rome was born in 1384 in Rome to a noble family and was baptized near Piazza Navona. Though she longed for religious life, she was married as a young girl to Lorenzo Ponziani, a commander in the papal forces. Their marriage proved deeply loving, and Frances sanctified her home through prayer, humility, and tireless charity. With other women of the city she cared for the sick and poor, and in seasons of flood, famine, plague, and war she turned her household into a refuge, distributing food and clothing and tending the wounded. Amid personal sorrows, including the loss of children and her husband’s long illness, she persevered in contemplation and was known for mystical visions, miracles, and a steadfast trust in God’s providence. On the Assumption in 1425 she founded the Olivetan Oblates of Mary, women devoted to a shared life of prayer and service without formal cloister. Widowed in 1436, she entered their community and served as superior until her death on March 9, 1440. She is venerated as patron of Spinea, widows, and automobile drivers. Her feast day is March 9.