Regina Protmann (1552 – 18 January 1613) was aRoman Catholicreligious sister. She founded theSisters of Saint Catherine and was a pioneer in the establishment of hospitals as well as schools for girls.^[1] Her first biographer was theJesuit Engelbert Keilert who described her as an intelligent and well-versed woman with a deep faith and sense of conviction.^[2][3]

Her beatification was celebrated on 13 June 1999 inWarsaw.

Regina Protmann was born inBraniewo (Braunsberg) in 1552 and to Peter Protmann and Regina née Tingel. Her father was a merchant and localpatrician. Her uncle was a councilman.^[1][4]

Protmann became familiarized with religious and political matters during the time of theProtestant Reformation and theCounter Reformation. She joined a Marian group that theJesuits had set up and she entrusted herself to their spiritual care.^[3] In 1571, she explained to her parents that she could not be married as expected but was devoting herself to religious studies and taking care of the sick and poor.

Despite the opposition of her parents Protmann moved out on her own and with two other women lived in an abandoned house. The group made a living in taking care of and nursing the sick and also doing housework. During a time ofwitch-hunt and strict counter-measures from theRoman Catholic Church it was unheard of for women to live on their own. There were no convents for women in the area at that time.^[3]

Protmann persevered and, inspired by SaintCatherine of Alexandria, founded one which became the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Catherine. Protmann helped to nurse the sick and educated nurses while seeing to it that nurses themselves received care when it was needed. Under the government of the prince-bishops schools for males existed alone but Protmann founded schools for girls as well.^[1][2]

Protmann died in 1613 after a painful illness she contracted that winter while on a travel trip.^[1]

The Saint Catherine of Alexandria church inBraunsberg was ruined in 1945 during its capture by theSoviet forces duringWorld War II. Braniewo was assigned to Poland. During the expulsion of the inhabitants ofEast Prussia, including the sisters of her congregation, over 100 sisters died. It was rebuilt after 1979 and in 2001 dedicated as aMinor Basilica. On 28 June 2000, Protmann was declared the patroness of Braniewo.^[2]

The beatification process opened inWarmia and inFrascati in an informative that opened in 1957 and closed sometime later before it received the validation needed from theCongregation for the Causes of Saints on 19 September 1991. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints approved the cause on 27 October 1992.Pope John Paul II confirmed Protmann'sheroic virtue and name her asvenerable on 17 December 1996. A miracle due to her intercession was a healing that originated inBrazil.^[2] John Paul II beatified Protmann inWarsaw on 13 June 1999. Thepostulator for this cause is Sr. Józefa Krause.

• Hagiography Circle
• Saints SQPN

• 1552 births
• 1613 deaths
• 16th-century venerated Christians
• 17th-century venerated Christians
• 17th-century German nuns
• Polish beatified people
• Beatifications by Pope John Paul II
• People from Braniewo
• People from Royal Prussia
• Venerated Catholics by Pope John Paul II
• 16th-century German educators
• 16th-century German Roman Catholic nuns
• 16th-century women educators