Neri Publications

The Life of St. Gemma Galgani
By Venerable Fr. Germanus, C.P.
07-1748

	St. Gemma Galgani (1878-1903) was a beautiful Italian laywoman who was born near Lucca, lived in obscurity, died at only 25, and yet has become known the world over and is fondly called "The Gem of Christ." Orphaned at seven, she had nonetheless been well schooled in spirituality by her holy mother, and from that early foundation in the Faith, she quickly rose to the highest stages of sanctity and is considered by authorities on spirituality to have advanced through all nine of the classic stages of growth in holiness--which the author briefly but beautifully describes. Written by her spiritual director shortly after her death, The Life of St. Gemma Galgani is the primary source of information about this holy girl-- of whom a great deal is known, because of her own writings and because her director wrote this present biography from first-hand knowledge about her. A mystic, stigmatist, visionary, ecstatic, victim soul, discerner of spirits, seer of hidden things, prophetess, spouse of Christ, zealot for souls, devotee of the Poor Souls in Purgatory, St. Gemma Galgani seemed to possess every hallmark of sanctity--and that to a marked degree. Frequently, the Blessed Mother or Our Lord would appear to her, and she saw and conversed almost continuously with her Guardian Angel. Her spiritual director was convinced she had never committed a mortal sin or even a purposeful venial sin. In fact, she was so sensitive to sin that she would sweat blood on hearing God blasphemed. Her heart during ecstasy would often palpitate so greatly that it would rock her bed or chair, though she herself remained tranquil in mien. Three of her ribs were "bent" at right angles because of the exuberance of her heart during these ecstasies. And at death her heart was discovered to be greatly enlarged. Containing much, much more than all the above, this book will give everyone confidence that he or she too can attain to high sanctity, even if living as a lay person in the world. Indeed, the reader will be profoundly impressed by this Life, because, in sum, it is hard to imagine a more perfect life or one more simply and completely consecrated to Christ than that of "The Virgin of Lucca," "The Gem of Christ," St. Gemma Galgani. 16.50
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