She conquered the devil!
Memorial - February 13th
The Italian city of Padova (Padua) is known all the world over today thanks to its famous Patron Saint - St. Anthony of Padua. In the 20th Century, it was graced by the presence of yet another holy figure - the Franciscan Priest/Confessor, St. Leopoldo Mandic ... but how many people are aware that there is another revered spiritual figure in the city? A female Beata (or Blessed) baptized as Lucrezia Bellini, but more commonly invoked as Eustochio of Padua. This ministry is pleased to feature her bio this month.
Lucrezia was the illegitimate daughter from the adulterous union of a married nobleman named Bartolomeo Bellini and an unworthy nun, Magdalena Cavalcabo. Before continuing any further, it should be noted that the monastery where her mother resided - the Benedictine establishment of San Prosdocimo in Padua - wasn't noted for piety, rather it was gossiped about by the townsfolk because of the rumored widespread abuses of its Rule perpetrated by the occupants. This was the dissolute environment that little Lucrezia was born into sometime in 1444.
Soon after her birth in the monastery, Lucrezia was discretely spirited away to be raised by Bartolomeo. In the Bellini home, Bartolomeo's lawful wife, not surprisingly, resented the girl's presence and treated her with contempt. Things worsened when Lucrezia began exhibiting bizarre behavior starting at age 4, which was attributed to bouts of demonic possession. Normally a well-behaved child, she fell into states of uncontrollable rage and violent behavior that lead to her being returned to the monastery as a "boarding student" at 7-years-old. It was hoped that her condition would improve but just the opposite occurred - her symptoms of possession worsened so priests were summoned and exorcisms conducted. The ritual brought a measure of relief to the child.
In the meantime, a new Abbess was installed who sought to reform the monastery but her efforts met with strong resistance from the community, with the exception of Lucrezia, who matured into a highly devout young woman. Perhaps because of her traumatic experiences, she was exceptionally prayerful and reflective; often seeking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, St. Luke, and St. Jerome for the general good of her soul.
When the Abbess died under mysterious circumstances (suspected poisoning), the local Bishop intervened by personally implementing greater discipline among the nuns of San Prosdocimo. Rather than comply, the nuns chose to pack up and returned to their respective homes, which spoke volumes as to their degenerate spiritual disposition. Again, the exception was Lucrezia, who was the only resident who chose to stay.
the demon under her feet)
The Bishop brought in more-observant Benedictines to take over San Prosdocimo and the 17-year-old Lucrezia applied with this new group. Given her condition, the nuns hesitated until the Bishop ordered them to admit her. Hence, she was clothed in the habit on January 14, 1461, under the religious name of Sr. Eustochio. The event triggered another full-blown possession, which figures prominently for the rest of her life.
This time around, the Beata was also subjected to other forms of diabolic vexations: she came down with mysterious illnesses that caused intense bodily pains and fits of vomiting; suffered blows from invisible attackers who sometimes also lifted her into the air only to throw her to the ground or against walls; she was choked and even burned. Needless to say, Eustochio was often left bruised or wounded after each episode. Her spiritual director - a Fr. Girolamo Saligario - performed repeated exorcisms on her, which provided temporary respite. It became clear that the Lord had a special purpose for Eustochio's sufferings and she responded heroically.
The brave nun intensified her prayers, voluntary mortifications, and fasting to combat the evil forces; consciously accepting her sufferings as a way of closer conformity with her Crucified Spouse; the constant contemplation of the Cross was a source of both solace and strength in the midst of her terrible ordeals. Some of her biographers have even speculated that the mysterious scourge wounds that appeared on her limbs were actually a form of mystical participation in the Passion of Christ. Thus, she could reasonably be ranked amongst the rare group of mystics marked with the Stigmata.
To add to her troubles, Sr. Eustochio also suffered from her own community. When the Abbess fell ill, some of her companions accused her of poisoning the woman; she was imprisoned for a period of three months during which she was chained to a pillar and fed only bread and water. When the citizens of Padua heard of the strange events surrounding Eustochio, they accused her of witchcraft and threatened to burn her at the stake. Fortunately, Fr. Girolamo staunchly defended her and he managed to convince the other nuns that she was indeed an innocent victim of the devil's wiles; not a willing perpetrator of evil.
in the Cathedral of Padua, Italy
Little by little the community came to recognize Eustochio's virtues, as her conduct was consistently beyond reproach during the intervals when she was fully herself ... and, on her part, she never harbored resentment for the way she was mistreated in the past. The possession and attacks continued until shortly before the Beata's death; despite their horrific efforts, the devil never succeeded in breaking her faith in God. Instead, Sr. Eustochio broke them and emerged victorious after her long battle, which is why her iconography depicts her stomping on demons!
The Beata was only 25-years-old when she passed on February 13, 1469, but had lost her youthful beauty due to her sufferings and mortifications. But no sooner did she breathe her last when her corpse was transformed in heavenly beauty and exuded a floral scent, which were outward signs of the great sanctity she managed to achieve within her short life. Furthermore, as the nuns prepared Eustochio's body for burial, a notable discovery was made - on her chest, directly over her heart were lesions that clearly spelled the name of "JESUS".
Veneration for the dead nun increased as miracles occurred at her grave in San Prosdocimo. Within a span of six years, the graces attributed to Eustochio's intercession were so numerous, the Paduans popularly acclaimed her as "Beata Eustochio" and the Bishop authorized the translation of her remains into the monastery church. Upon exhuming her body, it was found incorrupt and a spring began miraculously flowing from the original grave site, which cured the sick! Pope Clement XIII recognized the validity of Sr. Eustochio's Cultus by making it official in 1760.
For centuries, Sr. Eustochio's relics were highly venerated at San Prosdocimo and the healing water was channeled into a large marble basin for pilgrims to collect. However, when the anti-clerical government closed the monastery in 1806, the spring abruptly stopped flowing and the Beata’s body (then reduced to a skeleton) was taken by the nuns to a new tomb in the Benedictine monastery/church of San Pietro in Padua. In 2019, the relics were moved to the Cathedral of Padua due to extensive renovations at San Pietro Church.
based on forensic studies of her skull relic -
she was beautiful!
Today, the Beata's precious bones (enclosed in a simulacrum and wearing a forensically-reconstructed mask of her actual facial features) remain in the Cathedral where they are the destination of local pilgrims. Monthly prayer services are celebrated in Bl. Eustochio's honor attended by many people from all over Italy - and even beyond - who desire to receive graces from deliverance prayers offered by resident exorcists for the diabolically afflicted and for the general sick. Spiritual favors continue to be reported and because of her effective intercession against the demonic, Italian exorcists have designated Eustochio their Patroness and the Patroness of Spiritual Warfare.
Blessed Eustochio of Padua,
pray for us against the forces of evil!
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