Joan of Signa, Bl.

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JOAN OF SIGNA, BL.

Virgin and recluse; b. Signa, near Florence, Italy, c. 1245; d. near Signa, Nov. 9, 1307. At the age of 23 she became a recluse in a cell in the neighborhood of Signa. She remained there for 40 years and had a reputation for working miracles. Her cult gained considerable impetus in 1348, when the cessation of an epidemic was attributed to her intercession; her cult was confirmed in 1798. She is claimed by the franciscan order as a tertiary and also by the vallombrosan monks, the carmelites, and the augustinians, although the bollandists hold there is no evidence of her connection with any order.

Feast: Nov. 7 (Florence); Nov. 17 (franciscans).

Bibliography: Vitae ed. in Archivum Franciscanum historicum 10 (1917) 367386. Acta Sanctorum 544 Nov. 4 (1925) 280288. Gruppo archeologico signese, Vita e miracoli della beata Giovanna da Signa, ed. m. benelli and r. vannini (Signa 1995). a. butler, The Lives of the Saints (New York 1956) 4:374375. j. baur, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, 10 v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 195765) 5:985.

[c. r. byerly]

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