SAINT JULIANA FALCONIERI

In 1270 Saint Juliana Falconieri was born a late birth an answer to a prayer of the noble Falconieri family of Florence. Her parents, Chiarissimo and Riguirdata Falconieri, paid for the construction of the church of the Annunziata. Although her father died when she was still fairly
young she was never given to the diversions of other girls her age. Upon hearing of her mother’s plan to marry her, professed a wish to join the religious life when she was then 15.

Juliana was instructed by her uncle, Saint Alexis, one of the Seven Holy founders of the Servite Order. A year later she was made a tertiary. Her mother had been initially opposed to her vocation. Her mother considering the death of Juliana’s father put Juliana under the Saint’s
direction.

In 1304, her mother passed away and she went to a community of Servite nuns where she eventually was pressed into service as Superior. She drew up a set of regulations and was so influential she is known as the Foundress of the Servite nuns.

The bodily mortifications Juliana put to herself greatly weakened her health and late in life she was given to chronic gastric ailments. This eventually took the life of Saint Juliana Falonieri at the age of 71 in 1341.

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