Dear Henry,
As an incorruptible, I am surprised how little is known about her. She is the perfect saint for today.
She was born in 1247, and her mother died while she was young.
Her father remarried, and a contentious relationship developed between her and her stepmother. She left home as a teenager and became the mistress of a nobleman for the next ten years, bearing him a son.
The nobleman didn't come home one day, and his dog led St. Margaret to his murdered corpse. She left his home with her son that same day.
When she tried to return to her father's home, she was refused a place to stay and instead found herself in Cortona at the mercy of the Franciscan friars. Initially, her motives were suspect, and it took her three years of petitions to gain acceptance into the Third Order. She would struggle with her
"reputation" her entire life.
She is the patron saint of the homeless, step-children, single mothers, and the insane. In short, she is the patron saint of the forgotten people, and these days, there are so many of those.
I have added the Basilica of Santa Margherita to my list of
pilgrimages that I want to do.
xoxo a.d.
