St. Catherine was born in 1347, in northern Italy. She started having mystical experiences at an early age, she could see the guardian angels of people. When she was 16, she became a Dominican tertiary and continued to having visions of Christ, Mother Mary and the Saints.
Even though she never had any formal education, she was one of the most brilliant theological minds of her day and her writings are considered among the most brilliant in the history of the Catholic Church.
She received the Stigmata (the wounds of our Lord Jesus) in 1375. She died in 1380, when she was only 33 years old. Her body was found to be incorrupt in 1430.
She is one of the two patron saints of Italy, together with St. Francis of Assisi.
