St. Stephanie
St. Stephanie, also called St. Stephena De Quinzanis, was born in 1457 to poor parents in Brescia, Italy. Her father was a Dominican tertiary. She began seeing visions at 7 years old vowing to become a Dominican tertiary and doing so in 1472.
Stephanie was able to heal others. She devoted her efforts to the poor and sick. She was able to raise funds to help the destitute and developed a wide-ranging reputation. Refusing an offer to found convents in wealthy Venice, she founded, and was first abbess, for a Dominican Third Order convent in Soncino.
Stephanie was known for having a stigmata and healing quickly. Also known as mystic, she was said to accurately predict her death. She died of natural causes in 1530. Patron of theologians, she was beatified by Pope Benedict XIV on Dec. 14, 1740. Her feast day is Jan. 2.
