Blessed Michelina

Michelina was born into a wealthy and important family. She learned to follow God from her mother and father and was given everything she needed. When she was only 12 years old, she married a very important and rich man and she went to live in a palace with him. They had a son together and she was very happy living her life for her family. Her husband died when Michelina was only 20 years old, leaving her to raise their son on her own. Even though Michelina had everything the world could give her, she found herself very sad and very lost. She searched for happiness outside of God and she could not find it. Then a very holy woman came to live in her town, Michelina saw in her something that she wanted too and she asked the woman to come and live with her so that she could learn from her. What she learned was that this woman loved God before anyone and anything else. She taught Michelina to pray and love God first and this finally brought Michelina the joy and peace that she was looking for. She was able to once again become a good mother to her son and to live her life for God. Even though her son died when he was still a child, Michelina was still able to love God and see that her son was going to be in heaven with Jesus. All alone, Michelina gave her whole life to serving Jesus through serving the poor of her community. She gave away most of her possessions and she became a lay Franciscan, living her life simply and all for God. When she died, many miracles happened to those that came to see her tomb in the Franciscan church where she was buried.