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| Blessed Veronica of Milan |
Grew up in a poor peasant family in a small village, doing chores and working the fields. She had no formal education, and tried unsuccessfully to teach herself to read at night. She began to have religious ecstasies, visions of the life of Christ, and was taught hercatechism by the Virgin Mary. Our Lady explained it in the form of three mystical letters, one that signified purity of intention, the second abhorrence of complaining, and the third a reminder to daily meditate on the Passion. Augustinian lay-sister at the convent of Saint Martha, Milan, Italy, at age 22, being instructed for three years before she was allowed to join. Assigned to beg alms in the street for the support of the house. She suffered alternating bouts of intense physical pain and religious ecstacies for years. She received a vision of Christ in 1494, and was given a message for Pope Alexander VI; she made ajourney to Rome, Italy to deliver it. Following a six-month illness, she died on the date she had prophesied.
