Blessed Filipa de Chantemilan

Philippa of Chantemilan (born 1412 in Changy, died October 15, 1451, in Vienne) was a French virgin, venerated as a blessed by the faithful of the Roman Catholic Church. She was born the daughter of Jean de Chantemilan and Jeanne de Vernay. Her father died shortly after her birth, and her mother fifteen years later, having previously ensured her daughter received a careful upbringing. At the age of 20, Philippa moved with her sister and brother to Vienne in the Rhône Valley. There, she found a spiritual director and took vows of virginity. She went on pilgrimages to sanctuaries throughout France and dedicated her life to the sick, the poor, and the imprisoned. In 1450, on the occasion of the Jubilee Year, she traveled on another pilgrimage to Rome. In 1451, an epidemic broke out in Vienne, and Philippa became one of its first victims. She was buried near the Cathedral of Saint Maurice in a small courtyard in front of the doors of the Chapel of Our Lady. Shortly after her death, Philippa was venerated by the faithful. Her cult was approved by local ecclesiastical authorities, though it was never confirmed by the Holy See. She is commemorated on her dies natalis, October 15.