Rose of Viterbo
| St. Rose of Viterbo, T.O.S.F. | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Virgin and recluse | |
| Born | c. 1233 Viterbo, Papal States |
| Died | March 6, 1251 Viterbo, Papal States |
| Venerated in |
Roman Catholic Church (Third Order of St. Francis and Viterbo, Italy) |
| Canonized | 1457 by Pope Callistus III |
| Major shrine |
|
| Feast | 4 September |
| Attributes | A young woman with a crown of roses, holding a crucifix |
| Patronage | people in exile; people rejected by religious orders; Franciscan youth; Viterbo, Italy |
Viterbo, Italy
Rose of Viterbo, T.O.S.F. (c. 1233 – March 6, 1251), was a young woman born in Viterbo, then a contested commune of the Papal States. She spent her brief life as a recluse, who was outspoken in her support of the papacy. Otherwise leading an unremarkable life, she later became known for her mystical gifts of foretelling the future and having miraculous powers. She is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church.
The chronology of her life remains uncertain, as the acts of her canonization, the chief historical sources, record no dates. Most scholars agree she was probably born around the year 1233.
Born of poor and pious parents, even as a child Rose had a great desire to pray and to aid the poor. When but three years old, she allegedly raised to life her maternal aunt. At the age of seven, she had already lived the life of a recluse, devoting herself to penances. She prayed much for the conversion of sinners. Rose was not yet 10 years old when the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to have instructed her to enter the Third Order of St. Francis and to preach penance in Viterbo, at that time under the rule of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor.
Rose was soon admitted to the Franciscan Third Order and adopted its religious habit, a simple tunic with a cord around her waist. While walking the streets with a crucifix in her hand, she would exhort others to be faithful to the Catholic Church.
Rose attempted at age 15 to found a monastery. The effort failed and she returned to a life of prayer, penance and solitude in her father's home.
Every now and then she would emerge from her solitude to entreat the people to do penance. Her mission seems to have lasted for about two years. In January 1250, Viterbo, her native city, was then in revolt against the pope. When Rose took the pope’s side against the emperor, she and her family were exiled from the city and took refuge in Soriano nel Cimino. When the pope’s side won in Viterbo, Rose was allowed to return.
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