Saint
Saint Gianna Beretta Molla
Physician, wife and mother, Magenta and Mesero, 1922-1962
Early life
Gianna Beretta Molla was born at Magenta, in the diocese and province of Milan, on 4 October 1922, the tenth of the 13 children of Alberto Beretta and Maria De Micheli.[1] She received her first communion at the age of five and a half, and from then on attended the eucharist regularly.[1] Her youth brought changes of school, poor health, family moves, and the illness and death of her parents.[1]
Medicine
During her secondary school and university years she took part in the apostolate among the young women of Azione Cattolica and in charity toward the elderly and the needy in the Conferenze di San Vincenzo.[1] She graduated in medicine and surgery in 1949 at the university of Pavia, opened a medical practice at Mesero in 1950, and specialised in paediatrics at the university of Milan in 1952.[1] She practised medicine as a mission, and expressed her joy in life through skiing and mountaineering.[1]
Family
She became engaged to the engineer Pietro Molla and married him on 24 September 1955 in the basilica of San Martino in Magenta.[1] Pierluigi was born in November 1956, Mariolina in December 1957, and Laura in July 1959.[1]
Death and recognition
In September 1961, toward the end of the second month of a pregnancy, a fibroma of the uterus was found.[1] Before the necessary operation, knowing the risk of continuing the pregnancy, she asked the surgeon to save the life she was carrying.[1] On the morning of 21 April 1962 she gave birth to Gianna Emanuela, and on the morning of 28 April, despite every effort to save both lives, she died.[1] She was 39 years old.[1] She was buried in the cemetery of Mesero.[1] She was canonised on 16 May 2004 by Pope John Paul II.[1]
Follow the evidence
Sources and notes
- Gianna Beretta Molla
Dicastery for the Causes of Saints · Italian
Accessed 2026-09-05
Editorial notes
Translated and condensed from the Dicastery's official Italian profile by an automated pass on 2026-09-09; identity matched on the death date and name; editorial review pending.
This is an AI-assisted draft prepared from the sources above. Its citations identify its evidence; they do not replace a historical review.
The inherited biography
The earlier biography for this record, kept unchanged while the sourced draft is reviewed.
Read the inherited biography
Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, also known as Gianna Beretta or Gianna Molla, was born on October 4, 1922, in Magenta, Milan, Italy. She was the tenth of thirteen children born to Alberto and Maria Beretta, and she grew up in a pious family. Her upbringing greatly influenced her own faith and devotion to God. From a young age, Gianna showed a deep piety and love for God. One of her sisters became a nun, and two of her brothers, including Enrico Beretta, followed a calling to the priesthood. This strong spiritual foundation nurtured Gianna's own vocation and shaped her future path. While attending college, Gianna actively worked with the poor and elderly, showing great compassion and love for those in need.
She joined the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, furthering her commitment to serving others. In 1949, Gianna graduated from the University of Pavia as a physician and surgeon. With her medical degree in hand, she founded a clinic in Mero, Italy, in 1950. Her relentless dedication to her patients, especially mothers, babies, the elderly, and the poor, earned her a reputation for treating medicine as a mission and a gift from God. Gianna was also an active member of Catholic Action, a lay organization that promotes living out one's faith in daily life. Additionally, she enjoyed skiing and often took part in this activity as a way to relax and find solace in the beauty of nature. Although she had considered a religious vocation, Gianna ultimately married Pietro Molla on September 24, 1955, in Magenta.
Together, they embraced the sacrament of marriage and entered into a loving partnership. Their union was blessed with the gift of three children. Even as a wife and mother, Gianna continued her medical career and tirelessly used her expertise to heal and comfort those entrusted to her care. During her fourth pregnancy, however, she faced a life-threatening situation when she was diagnosed with a large ovarian cyst. Her surgeon recommended an abortion as a means to save her own life, but Gianna made the courageous decision to refuse the procedure. Instead, she chose to prioritize the life of her unborn child over her own. On April 28, 1962, just a week after giving birth to her fourth child, Gianna sadly passed away at the Monza Maternity Hospital in Monza, Italy, due to complications arising from the ovarian cyst.
Her selflessness and deep love for life became the ultimate testament to her faith and values. The child Gianna carried with such devotion grew up to become a physician herself and became involved in the pro-life movement. This miraculous outcome became the basis for the canonization miracle of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla. Saint Gianna Beretta Molla was venerated on July 6, 1991, by Pope John Paul II. On April 24, 1994, she was beatified by the same pontiff in Rome, Italy. Her elevation to sainthood followed on May 16, 2004, when Pope John Paul II canonized her. Today, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla is revered as a patron saint against abortion, as well as a guardian and intercessor for mothers, pregnant women, and unborn children. She is also honored as the patron saint of the World Meeting of Families in 2015, highlighting her deep love and dedication to the sanctity of family life.
Image: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons (GiannaBerettaMolla.jpg)
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