Blessed Jeanne Scopelli

The demon, jealous of such holiness, neglected nothing to trouble this soul who wished to belong only to God. He first tempted her with despair, and told her in the depths of her soul that heaven was not made for a proud woman like her: Jeanne humbled herself and prayed. Her prayer, in the end, obtained that these clouds were dissipated, and that the pure light from above came again to enlighten and guide her spirit.

At other times, the evil spirit went so far as to strike her, according to the power he had received. Our Lord rewarded his servant for the generosity with which she endured all these trials: it is thus that on the anniversary days of his birth, of his resurrection, for example, he allowed her to witness with the eyes of the body the mysteries of these days, as if she had been really present.

However, premonitory signs of death began to appear. One day, when she was gravely ill, she saw the celestial physician of the human race, in the guise of a young man dressed in white, who brought her spring roses and other fragrant flowers from the eternal gardens, which he wove into a crown and with which he adorned his servant. But that was not enough: Our Lord came to indicate to her the precise day she would enter the bridal chamber that the Lamb reserves for those who have followed in His footsteps.

Jeanne Jeanne 15th-century Carmelite nun, foundress and prioress honored in Reggio. 's transports of joy at this news are neither for our weak minds to conceive nor for our tongues to retell. She called for her nuns and dictated her testament to them in these terms:

1st My dear daughters, since you have abandoned everything on earth, practice obedience and frequent the Sacraments; 2nd Uproot from your heart the ever-living plant of self-love; 3rd Pray without ceasing; let your prayers be like perfumes that emanate from your mouth; 4th Always keep present in your mind the terrible day of death; 5th Imagine that the judge who must ask you for an account of your actions is constantly looking through your window or hiding behind your wall to surprise you. You are not unaware of what a severe account you will have to render to Him and that nothing will be able to deceive, corrupt, frighten, or appease Him; 6th Generously endure temporal afflictions: they are nothing compared to the inheritance of eternal joys; 7th Finally, I remind you of the great commandment of charity towards God and charity towards one's neighbor... It is because their lamps were empty of the oil of charity that the foolish virgins were excluded from the banquet hall.

Then she gave all her sisters the kiss of peace, blessed them, and then she surrendered her soul to her Creator. It was June 9, 1491; Jeanne had lived sixty-three years of the life of angels on earth.

[APPENDIX: CULT AND RELICS.]

Two years after the death of Blessed Jeanne, the nuns of her monastery, whose veneration for their prioress had only increased, visited her holy body: they found it not only without corruption, but emitting a very pleasant odor.

They informed the Bishop of Reggio of this miracle, who traveled to the site and observed the miracle with admiration. The prelate had the remains of the servant of God transferred to a more visible place: they were placed to the left of the high altar of the convent church, where they remained until the destruction of that house. Today they are venerated in a chapel of the cathedral of Reggio.

Pope Clement XIV approved , on August 24, 1771 cathédrale de Reggio City in Italy where the saint lived and where her relics are preserved. , the cult rendered fo pape Clément XIV Pope who granted canonical institution and the house of Saints John and Paul. r three centuries to this Blessed. This cult has spread in our day to Tuscany, through the efforts of Mr. Ignace Scopelli, who was honored to be of the family of this ho M. Ignace Scopelli Member of the saint's family who promoted her cult in Tuscany. ly Carmelite.

Acta Sanctorum Acta Sanctorum Monumental hagiographic collection by the Bollandists. , July 9, new translation.