Saint Magdalen of Canossa

Magdalena di Canossa, born on March 1, 1774, and died on April 10, 1835, was an Italian religious sister who founded two Canossian congregations. She became a prominent advocate for the poor in her region after witnessing their plight following the French Revolution's spillover effects into Italy through the Napoleonic invasion of northern territories. Magdalena worked closely with humanitarians such as Leopoldina Naudet and Antonio Rosmini to promote the needs of the poor and establish a new method of religious life for both men and women. Her efforts significantly impacted her community, leading to her beatification on December 7, 1941, in Rome, and canonization on October 2, 1988, in Saint Peter's Square.