- Battista Vernazza
Battista Vernazza (secular name Tommasina Vernazza) (born at
Genoa , 1497; died there, 1587) was an Italiancanoness regular and mystical writer.Life
Her father, Ettore Vernazza, was a patrician, founder of several hospitals for the sick poor in Genoa, Rome, and Naples. Her godmother was
Catherine Fieschi-Adorno .At the early age of 13, Tommasina entered the
monastery of St. Maria delle Grazie , and became a canoness regular, taking the name of Battistina. She filled at various times the office of treasurer, novice-mistress, and prioress.Works
She wrote, among other things, a commentary on the Pater Noster; "The Union of the soul with God"; "Of the knowledge of God"; "Of prayer"; "Of the heavenly joys and of the means of attaining them"; "Of those who have risen with Christ"; meditations, spiritual canticles, and letters to eminent men of her time.
Possevin speaks of her writings as inspired. Her works were published at Venice in 3 vols. in 1588. They have been published many times since.References
*Vernazza, "Opere Spirituali" (Venice, 1588; Genoa, 1785);
*Rossini, "Lyceum Lateranense Cesenae" (1622);
*Serra, "Storia letteraria" (Genoa, 1832);
*Semeria, "Storia ecclesiastica di Genova" (Turin, 1838);
*Ronco, "Sonetti inediti" (Genoa, 1819);
*Boeri, "Una Gloria di Genova" (1906)
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