Saint of the Day –10June – Blessed Diana d’Andalo OP (1201-1236) Virgin,

Saint of the Day –10June – Blessed Diana d’Andalo OP (1201-1236) Virgin, Nun of the Order of Preachers Born in 1201 near Bologna, Italy and died on 9 January 1236 in Bologna of natural causes. Beatified on 8 August 1888 by Pope Leo XII. Also known as – Diana degli Andalò.

The Roman Martyrology states: “In Bologna, blessed Diana d’Andalò, Virgin, who, having overcome all the impediments posed by her family, took a vow of cloistered life in the hands of Saint Dominic himself, entering the Monastery of Saint Agnes, which she founded.”

Diana was born into a powerful Roman family in Bologna, Italy in 1201. Nothing is known of her childhood but she was described as “rather spoiled.” She was “of outstanding beauty,” charming, eloquent, well-educated, high spirited, courageous and had good judgement. Dominican scholar Gerald Vann also called her “full of the joy of living, full too of the joy of her own beauty and the power it gave her.”

In 1218, Diana heard the Dominican Scholar and Preacher, Blessed Reginald of Orléans speak in Bologna. His sermons inspired her to give up her worldliness and devote herself to prayer. Following Reginald’s advice, she remained at her family’s home and continued to wear the clothes appropriate to her standing, although she wore an iron chain and hairshirt under them.

In 1219, St Dominic , himself, came to Bologna and to him she vowed her perpetual virginity and she proclaimed her intention to join the Dominican Order as soon as a Convent was established in Bologna.

She persuaded her father to purchase the lands to build a Convent but he refused to allow her to enter it, probably because the family intended that she marry into another prominent family and the Bishop denied permission to build on the site chosen.

In 1222, she ran away to an Augustinian Convent in Ronzano. Her family forcibly removed her and brought her back home;. In the struggle, one of her ribs was broken, an almost fatal injury from which she never fully recovered. St Dominic died shortly afterwards but after she recovered sufficiently in 1223, she again escaped to Ronzano, although her family did not pursue her a second time.

Shortly after St Dominic’s death, Blessed Jordan of Saxony, St Dominic’ Successor, as leader of the Order, met Diana when he came to Bologna. With his assistance, Diana reconciled with her family, her father agreed to allow her to enter religious life and the Bishop agreed to another site for the Convent. In 1223, the Convent was dedicated to St Agnes in Bologna and Diana entered the Dominican Order there. Four other nuns were also brought from the Convent of St Sixtus in Rome, including the Blessed Cecilia Cesarini, who was made Prioress, and Blessed Amata. The three are always associated together.

Diana remained at St Agnes until her death in 1236 and was buried there, along with the remains of Cecilia and Amata. Their Relics were moved several times but always together. Diana’s head was placed in a Reliquary near St Dominic’s Tomb. Diana, along with Cecilia and Amata, were Beatified on 8 Augus 1888, by Pope Leo XIII.

Diana is known for a series of letters written to her and to the other Sisters at St Agnes, by Blessed Jordan of Saxony. 37 of the 50 letters that have survived were written directly to her. They are “evidence of the deep friendship shared by Diana and Jordan and demonstrate the possibility of warm affection” between Priests and the cloistered Nuns who pray for them and their work. The letters are also a record of the early history of the Dominican Order. Gerald Vann, Author of the book To Heaven with Diana! a compilation of the correspondence between the two Blesseds, Diana and Jordan, calls the letters “a wonderful treatise on Christian friendship.”