Blessed Ludovica Albertoni

Ludovica Albertoni (1473 – 31 January 1533) was an Italian Roman Catholic noblewoman from the Renaissance period and a professed member of the Third Order of Saint Francis. The death of her husband prompted her to dedicate her life to the service of the poor in Rome and she was also known for her ecstatic experiences. Her fame for holiness became widespread in Rome and devotion to her remained intense after her death which prompted Pope Clement X to approve her beatification in 1671. Ludovica Albertoni was born in 1473 in Rome to the prominent nobles Stefano Albertoni and Lucretia Tebaldi. Her father died around 1475 and she was entrusted to the care of her paternal aunts who saw to it that she had a Christian education. Her parents had arranged her betrothal and in obedience she married the nobleman Giacomo della Cetera in 1494. The couple moved to Trastevere where they raised three daughters, but it was a turbulent marriage since her husband possessed a sharp and often unpleasant temperament. However, she remained docile in her faith and steadfast while believing in her husband's love for her despite his coldness. In May 1506 he died after a long illness leaving her widowed with her three children. Difficulties arose when her brother-in-law Domenico did not respect her rights regarding her inheritance. Albertoni fought him in court and won with her late spouse's assets for her and their daughters. Not long after this loss she joined the Third Order of Saint Francis at the San Francesco a Ripa church in Trastevere. She spent her fortune and her health caring for the poor. Albertoni became renowned for her religious ecstasies (including levitation) and became known as a miracle worker. In 1527 she tended to the poor during the Sack of Rome and for her efforts at alleviating the suffering became known as the "mother of the poor".