Blessed Benvenuta Bojano of Friuli
VIRGIN, OF THE THIRD ORDER OF SAINT DOMINIC (1292).
Virgin, of the Third Order of Saint Dominic
Born into a noble family of Friuli in the 13th century, Benvenuta Bojano joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic. She distinguished herself through extreme mortifications and deep piety, enduring a long illness before being miraculously healed at the tomb of Saint Dominic. She died in 1292, leaving behind a reputation for holiness confirmed by numerous miracles.
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BLESSED BENVENUTA BOJANO OF FRIULI,
VIRGIN, OF THE THIRD ORDER OF SAINT DOMINIC (1292).
Origins and early piety
Born in the 13th century in Friuli into a noble family, Benvenuta manifested from childhood a marked taste for solitude and prayer.
Benvenuta was born, towards the middle of the 13th century , in the province province de Frioul Italian duchy where Evrard exercised his command. of Friuli, to a family that occupied a high position in the country. From her tenderest years she showed great dispositions for piety. She was never seen taking part in the games and amusements of her age; she preferred to withdraw to some secluded place from where she could see a church, and would spend several hours there in prayer.
Mortifications and religious commitment
From her youth, she practiced extreme physical austerities and joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic to imitate the life of the holy founder.
In her youth, she accustomed herself to subduing her body; she wore a rough hair shirt under her clothes and wrapped a rope around her loins. This rope embedded itself so deeply into her flesh and caused such wounds that the help of surgeons would have been needed to remove it. Fearing discovery, the young girl implored the help of heaven, and the rope fell away of its own accord.
Having entered the Thir d Order of Sain Saint-Dominique Founder of the order whose rule Benvenuta follows and intercessor for her healing. t Dominic, she wished to imitate in some way the virtues of this great servant of God. She abstained from wine and meat, spent part of her nights in prayer, and when, overcome by fatigue, she was forced to lie down, she would stretch out on the floor and place a stone to support her head. Each night she would discipline herself up to three times.
The Trial of Illness
Her privations exhausted her health, plunging her into a painful five-year illness which she endured with exemplary patience.
These harsh austerities had quickly exhausted her health. She fell ill. Suffocated by continuous efforts, it was no longer possible for her to lie down or stand; she had to be seated at all times. This position caused her such painful ulcers that one could no longer move her, even slightly, without inflicting true torture upon her. In the midst of these sufferings, the Blessed one's patience never faltered, and she never ceased to devote herself to prayer.
Healing, death and recognition
Miraculously healed at the tomb of Saint Dominic, she died in 1292. Her cult was officially recognized by Clement XIII in the 18th century.
After five years of illness, she had herself transported to the tomb of Saint Domin saint Dominique Founder of the order whose rule Benvenuta follows and intercessor for her healing. ic and obtained a complete healing. Upon returning to her country, she resumed her mortifications and freed herself so well from the empire of the senses that she seemed to exist only for heaven. Her conduct and virtues earned her signal favors from God which, out of humility, she carefully hid from all eyes. Consumed by vigils and mortifications, she quickly reached the end of her career, and died on October 29, 1292. Numerous miracles occurred at her tomb. Her cult was approved by Clement XIII in 1765.
Hagiographic sources
The account is based on the Lessons of the Church and the works of the continuators of Gedesmaet.
Taken fro m the Lessons of t Leçons de l'Église Liturgical or hagiographical source cited for the life of the saint. he Church of Blessed Benvenuta. — Cf. Continuators of Gedesmaet Gedesmaet Author or hagiographer whose continuators are cited as a source. .
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Born in the mid-13th century in Friuli
- Entered the Third Order of Saint Dominic
- Miracle of the rope falling off by itself after extreme mortifications
- Five-year serious illness following her austerities
- Complete healing at the tomb of Saint Dominic
- Died in 1292
- Approval of cult by Clement XIII in 1765
Miracles
- Miraculous fall of a rope embedded in her flesh after a prayer
- Complete healing of her ulcers and paralysis at the tomb of Saint Dominic
- Numerous posthumous miracles at her tomb