St. Gemma Galgani

Saint Gemma Galgani (born March 12, 1878 in Camigliano, Italy, died April 11, 1903) was the daughter of a poor pharmacist and suffered throughout her life with ill health. Gemma was orphaned shortly after she turned 18, making her financially responsible for the upbringing of her younger siblings. She declined two marriage proposals and became, instead, a housekeeper with a local family, the Gianninis.

According to her legend, Gemma began to display signs of the stigmata in 1899, at the age of twenty-one. She stated that she had spoken to her guardian angel, Jesus, the Virgin Mary and other saints, among other things. Some people admired her virtue, others mocked her and thought she had a mental illness. In early 1903, Gemma was diagnosed with tuberculosis and died not long after, in a small room next to the Giannini house. Today, her relics are housed at the Passionist monastery in the city of Lucca, in Italy.

She is a patron saint of students and of pharmacists. Her Feast Day is April 11.