Hyacintha Mariscotti,T.O.R. | |
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| Born | Clarice di Mariscotti (1585-03-16)16 March 1585 Vignanello,Viterbo,Papal States |
| Died | 30 January 1640(1640-01-30) (aged 54) Viterbo, Papal States |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church (Third Order of St. Francis) |
| Beatified | 1726,Rome, Papal States byPope Benedict XIII |
| Canonized | 14 May 1807, Rome, Papal States byPope Pius VII |
| Majorshrine | Church of Santa Giacinta Marescotti, Viterbo, Italy |
| Feast | 30 January |
Hyacintha Mariscotti, T.O.R., orHyacintha of Mariscotti (Italian:Giacinta Marescotti), was anItalianreligious sister of theThird Order Regular of St. Francis. She was born in 1585 of anoble family atVignanello, in theProvince of Viterbo, and died 30 January 1640 inViterbo, noted for the depth of her spiritual gifts. She is honored as asaint in theCatholic Church.
Atbaptism she received the name Clarice. Her parents were the Count Marcantonio Marescotti, who claimed descent from oneMarius Scotus, a military leader under theEmperorCharlemagne, and Countess Ottavia Orsini, whose father had built the notedGardens of Bomarzo.
At an early age she and her sisters, Ginevra and Ortensia, were sent to theMonastery of St.Bernardino to be educated by the community of the sisters of theFranciscan Third Order Regular. When their studies were complete, her older sister, Ginevra, chose to enter the monastic community as a sister, and received thereligious name Immacolata. In her early youth, Clarice had been noted for her piety, but, as she grew older, she became frivolous, which not even an almost-miraculous saving of her life at the age of 17 could change, nor her education at the monastery.[1]
At the age of 20 Clarice set her heart upon marriage with theMarcheseCapizucchi, but was passed over by him in favor of her younger sister, Ortensia. Disappointed, she entered the monastery in Viterbo where she had been educated, receiving the religious nameHyacintha. She admitted later that she did this only to hide her chagrin and not to give up the luxuries of the world. She kept a private stock of extra food, wore ahabit of the finest material, and received and paid visits at will.[1]
For ten years, Hyacintha kept up this life, contrary to the spirit of her vows, but at the same time, retained a strong religious faith and was regular in her following of the daily routine of the monastery life, with a tender devotion to theVirgin Mary. At that point, due to a severe illness, thepriest who served as theconfessor to themonastery went to her cell to bring herHoly Communion. Shocked by the display of luxuries he saw there, he admonished her to a closer observance of the way of life to which she had committed herself.[1]
Hyacintha completely changed her life. She gave away her costly garments, wore an oldtunic, went barefoot, frequentlyfasted on bread and water, and chastised her body byvigils. During the outbreak of a plague in the city, she became noted for her devotion in nursing the sick.[2]
Hyacintha went on to establish twoconfraternities, whose members were called Oblates of Mary or "Sacconi". One of these, similar to theSociety of St. Vincent de Paul, gatheredalms for theconvalescent, for the poor who were ashamed to beg, and for the care of prisoners; the other procured homes for the aged.
By the time of her death, Hyacintha's reputation for holiness was so great, that, at her wake, her religious habit had to be replaced three times. This was due to pieces of it being snipped off by the people to keep as arelic.
Hyacintha wasbeatified byPope Benedict XIII in 1726, andcanonized on 14 May 1807 byPope Pius VII.[2] Today her remains are preserved forveneration in the church of her now-defunct monastery, which today bears her name.Hyacintha'sfeast day is celebrated on 30 January.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Hyacintha Mariscotti".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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