Elisabetta Vendramini

Elisabetta Vendramini, born on April 9, 1790, in Vicenza, Italy, was an Italian Franciscan tertiary and the founder of the Elizabethan Sisters. Her life was marked by a profound dedication to serving the poor and vulnerable, a calling that became clear to her in 1817 when she broke off her engagement to pursue religious life.

Life and Historical Context

Educated in an Augustinian convent, Vendramini's upbringing instilled a deep sense of faith. After breaking off her engagement, she began caring for children in her hometown and later joined the staff of a Capuchin orphanage in 1820. The following year, she made her profession into the Third Order of Saint Francis. Moving to Padua, she worked with friends at a tuition-free school.

Founding the Elizabethan Sisters

On November 10, 1828, with the assistance of Father Luigi Maran, Elisabetta Vendramini established the Franciscan Elizabethan Sisters in Padua. The congregation was named in honor of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and followed the Rule of Saint Francis of Assisi. The order proved its dedication during an epidemic of fever in 1836. Elisabetta Vendramini died on April 2, 1860, in Padua. Her congregation later received full approval from Pope Pius XI in 1934 and now operates internationally.

Beatification

The process for Elisabetta Vendramini's beatification began in 1938. She was proclaimed Venerable on February 18, 1989, by Pope John Paul II, recognizing her heroic Christian virtue. The miracle attributed to her intercession involved the rapid and complete cure of a sister from her order from tuberculosis and Pott's Disease in 1936. This led to her beatification by Pope John Paul II on November 4, 1990.