St. Lucy Filippini
(13 January 1672 – 25 March 1732)
She was orphaned at an early age when her parents both died. From there she went to live with her aristocratic aunt and uncle who encouraged her religious inclination by entrusting her education to the Benedictine nuns at Santa Lucia.
Her career began under the patronage of Cardinal Gregorio Barbarigo, who entrusted her with the work of founding schools for young women, especially the poor. With Rose Venerini to train school teachers, she co-founded the Pious Matrons, a group dedicated to the education of girls. The curriculum included domestic arts, weaving, embroidering, reading, and Christian doctrine. The success of her schools — fifty-two in total — caught the attention of Pope Clement XI, who called her to work in Rome. She died of breast cancer in 1732.
Her statue can be seen in the south nave of St. Peter’s Basilica.
