Catherine of Siena

Catherine of Siena, born Caterina Benincasa in 1347, is a major figure in the 14th-century Catholic Church. A member of the Dominican Third Order, she is known for her intense mystical experiences, visions, and invisible stigmata. Despite having received no formal education, she was an influential advisor to Popes Gregory XI and Urban VI, urging them to reform the Church: she obtained from Gregory XI his departure from Avignon for Rome, bringing the Avignon Papacy to an end, and then, when the Great Western Schism broke out in 1378, she spent herself until her death rallying Christendom to Urban VI. Her writings, especially 'The Dialogue of Divine Providence' (or 'The Book of Divine Doctrine'), are considered masterpieces of mystical literature. She was canonized in 1461 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Paul VI in 1970, one of the first women to receive this title. She is a co-patron of Europe and Italy.