September 4 + Saint Rose of Viterbo

Born of poor and pious parents, even as a small child Rose had a great desire to pray and to aid the poor. At three years old, she allegedly raised back to life her maternal aunt. At the age of seven, she had already lived the life of a recluse, devoting herself to penances. She prayed much for the conversion of sinners. Rose was not yet 10 years old when the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to have instructed her to enter the Third Order of St. Francis and to preach penance in Viterbo.

Rose was soon admitted to the Franciscan Third Order and adopted its religious habit, a simple tunic with a cord around her waist. While walking the streets with a crucifix in her hand, she would encourage others to be faithful to the Catholic Church.

On December 5, 1250, Rose foretold the speedy death of the emperor, a prophecy fulfilled on December 13. Soon afterwards she went to Vitorchiano, whose inhabitants, according to surviving reports, were affected by a sorceress. Rose secured the conversion of all, even of the sorceress, by standing unscathed for three hours in the flames of a burning pyre.

Rose wished to enter the Poor Clare Monastery of St. Mary in the city, but was refused because of her poverty, as she was not able to provide the dowry required for admission. She accepted her rejection, nonetheless foretelling her admission to the monastery after her death.

Rose died in 1251 at the age of 18. The process of Rose's canonization was opened in the year of her death by Pope Innocent IV, but was not undertaken until 1457. Originally buried at the parish church of Santa Maria in Poggio, in 1257 Pope Alexander IV ordered that her incorrupt body be moved to the monastery she had desired to enter (the Poor Clare Monastery of St. Mary), at which time it was renamed in her honor.