Angela Merici

Saint Angela Merici
St. Angela Merici Teaching by Pietro Calzavacca (mid-19th century)
Virgin and foundress
Born	21 March 1474 Desenzano del Garda, Province of Brescia, Republic of Venice
Died	27 January 1540(1540-01-27) (aged 65) Brescia, Republic of Venice
Beatified	30 April 1768, Rome, Papal States, by Pope Clement XIII
Canonized	24 May 1807, Rome, Papal States, by Pope Pius VII
Major shrine	Sanctuary of St. Angela Merici, Brescia, Italy
Feast	27 January; 31 May (1861–1955); 1 June (1955–1969)
Attributes	Cloak, ladder
Patronage	Sickness, handicapped people, loss of parents, courage, strength, and determination

Angela Merici (/məˈriːtʃi/ mə-REE-chee, Italian: [ˈandʒela (de) meˈriːtʃi]; 21 March 1474 – 27 January 1540) was an Italian Catholic religious educator who founded the Company of St. Ursula in 1535 in Brescia, in which women dedicated their lives to the service of the church through the education of girls.

From this organisation later sprang the Order of Saint Ursula, whose nuns established places of prayer and learning throughout Europe and, later, worldwide, most notably in North America.

After her death, Merici was venerated by Catholics around the world and a cause for sainthood was opened. She was canonized by Pope Pius VII in 1807.