Saint Camilla Battista Varani

The Life of a Saint

Born April 9, 1458, Saint Camilla Battista Varani was the daughter of Duke Julius Caesar Varani of Camerino, Italy. As a young girl, Saint Camilla heard one particular Good Friday homily. Contemplating this homily, she vowed to mourn the passion of Christ every Friday for the rest of her life. It was a difficult endeavor because of her vivacious personality and the distractions her aristocratic paternal household provided. Aided by God’s grace and the support of her confessors, she persevered. As time passed, Saint Camilla grew in fervor and faith until she was able to accept her vocation. After struggling with both her inner self and her father, she willingly chose to consecrate her life to God. When the young Duchess announced her intentions of renouncing her royal heritage to become a Poor Clare nun at age 21 in 1479, her father initially objected. The Duke kept his daughter in prison in their family home for 2 ½ years. However, in 1481, he finally relented. He not only gave Camilla permission to enter the Poor Clare order, but he also bought a monastery for them.

.At age 23, Camilla officially joined the order of Poor Clares in Urbino, Italy, taking the religious name of Sr. Battista. Jesus repaid her generously by favoring her with mystical experiences, of which we find traces in her writings. These writings turned out to be true forms of teaching for all. Camilla suffered greatly after her father and brothers were killed, adding to the mental suffering she was already experiencing. With feelings of abandonment and desolation, Camilla found herself in a spiritual crisis, writing that she battled with the devil and his temptations to rebel against God.

In order to escape persecution, Camilla sought refuge in the convent at Atri, but she lived in Fermo and San Severino in order to establish her cloistered lifestyle according to the rule of St. Clare of Assisi. Throughout her life, Saint Camilla strived to identify herself with the sufferings of Jesus and His Passion. In her writings, Saint Camilla recounts experiencing the pains of the stigmata and the experience of Jesus appearing to her.

Camilla Battista died in Camerino, Italy on May 31, 1524. In 1843, Pope Gregory XVI declared her Beatified.

Saint Camilla Baptista Works:

Saint Camilla was well versed in both Latin and Italian, and wrote in both languages. She was accounted as being one of the most accomplished scholars of her day.

Her works include:

• Praise of the Visions of Christ, 1479-1481

• Remembrances of Jesus (Ricordi di Gesu), 1483-1491

• Treatise on the Mental Sufferings of Jesus Christ Our Lord, 1488

  • First published in Camerino, Italy in 1630

• The Spiritual Life (Vita Spirituale), 1491

  • First published in Macerata, Italy in 1624