Marguerite entered to Cortone in 1273 and left from it by the death in 1297. She/it remains for the posterity Saint Marguerite of Cortone.

She/it walks like an automaton in the narrow, twisting streets, upward of the old small city, she/it ignores or be the convent of the brothers-minor and doesn't know no one that can inform it. But she/it has conscience to walk toward sound Jesus' aegis that the soul and that she/it wants to like all his/her/its heart.

And the Lord came ç his/her/its help in the person of two charitable ladies, stepmother and daughter-in-law, Marinaria and Raneria Moscari, the narration of his/her/its history, sprung spontaneously of his/her/its lips with an accent of naive sincerity moved them of mercy. Their house was big, Marguerite would occupy a small room there with his/her/its son, she would work honestly and would live in good Christian, here is that was adjusted with this simplicity of the right souls that discovers the Christ in his/her/its suffering members, the poor humanity that is hungry and that without home.

Thanks to his/her/its benefactresses, Marguerite reached the convent of the Franciscans: Father Jean of Castiglione their superior and the Father Giunta Bevegnati that became his/her/its spiritual guide and his/her/its biographer. They spoke him of François saint, that several had known and that the Lord pope had placed on the altars. The Saint's former office, drawn of the legend of the brother Thomas of Celano and rhymed by the Julian brother of Spire represented it like a sinner, whose vivid conversion encourages the sinners to convert: thirsty of destitution, of austerity, of derision, sequestered in a cave, he/it hears the voice of the Lord and converses long lies with him. He/it so perfectly imitates it that Jesus prints him the seal of the conformity, the stigmata of his/her/its passion. François' disciples is the penitents, the order founded by him, the order of the Penitents.

Marguerite understood, She will imitate her/its model to arrive as him to drink of divine love. Installed in his/her/its new life, she/it believes to come out of a dream and get involved impetuously in the way of the expiration, she/it looks at itself, feel himself, consider himself for a long time then explodes in sobs. How could she/it make of his/her/its body the idol of his/her/its life? Trying to embellish it, to decorate it, to procure him some admirers? To captivate the one that captivated me! And all it succeeds to the death, As the one that was pulled to him and that yesterday she/it was urgent again tenderly in his/her/its arms, she/it would be one day cold and rigid as marble, the cheeks without freshness, the broken eyes, insensible to the kissings to the caresses…. Then it would be the decomposition in darkness, under ground… Finally emaciated some bone and smelly; a little pestilential dust; what a breath disperses?
"Madwoman that I was!" she exclaimed. And striking a stone she/it hit herself/itself the head of it, she/it would have liked to make hideous, to cut itself/themselves the nose, to scar itself/themselves the face, but Giunta fra forbade him it severely. She/it obeyed while quivering and was content to smear his/her/its face of soot and to don squalid rags in order to make repulsive and to hear each other to treat madwoman.

She/it remembered her/its pleasures of once and tortured his/her/its members that had felt them. To expiate his/her/its good meals, she/it fasts every day è a board, the naked earth, of the twining stems replace his/her/its soft layer of châtelaine. Her that not long ago donned silk and the ermine, shiver today under a coarse dress and patched. Bloody floggings with thorns or ropes subdue the revolts of his/her/its flesh, that she/it estimates refractory and always dangerous.

To the example of François saint, she/it worked to earn his/her/its bread and begged when the salary made defect, As it, it took care of the patients, his/her/its dear patients, served the women in layer that in that time one liked to surround numerous maids. What one remembers the performance of the birth of the Virgin Saint by Ghirlandasios and others former painters? One appreciated a lot of Marguerite's services one called it in all houses, because she/it knew the sophistications of luxury and excelled to prepare delicious small dishes. Very Eelle didn't want in to taste and was content with some rests of meal or a piece of bread. Ever either she/it didn't touch to lotions, to perfumes, to the sweet that she/it excelled to offer his/her/its customers.

His/her/its finished work, she/it retired to pray, because only pleased to him the conversation with the one of which she/it hoped for the favors. Often she/it left these symposia the face flooded of tear. It is hardly if she/it answered in few of words the questions that one asked him. This silence displeased to a lot of no one that judged it extravagant and called it insane.

Marguerite didn't care and searched for the contempt and the mockeries of his/her/its setting in expiration of the striven once adulations. This is how he/it came him the thought to surrender in Laviano, his/her/its native village, to humiliate itself/themselves publicly and to repair the scandal that she/it had given by her/its misconduct.

One Sunday morning, to the moment or was going to begin the parochial Mass, there it that enters in the church is, full of supporters, naked feet, a rope to the neck as the convicted to death. She/it goes right to prostrate before a matron and demand jà high voice forgiveness to all the aid for the bad example of his/her/its past life.

Fra Giunta that returns the anecdote disregards to tell us that were this lady, nor what reasons had Marguerite to make him these humiliating confessions. But one knows that later she/it entered in the order of the penitence and founded a hospital

Marguerite wanted to renew this humiliation in Montepulciano and to browse the vielle, naked feet, a rope to the neck, like a criminal, a woman had to precede it while shouting to all echoes the sins of the joy châtelaine. But the prudent director, estimating this dangerous production for Marguerite's humility, forbids him it positively, she submitted but to counter heart.

During three years fra continuous Giunta thus to exercise his/her/its virtue, without consideration for his/her/its desires or his/her/its reluctances. He/it treated it in pitiless master, knowing that she/it stole to be seriously all God's. In his/her/its ardor she/it would have destroyed herself/itself in hate of the sin and to insure the Christ's friendship.

After three years of tests, he/it judged the moment come of admit him, according to his/her/its desire, in the order of the Penitents! Without leaving their family, these committed to recite long prayers, to fast often, to receive communion three times the year, at Easter, at the Pentecost and at the Christmas. They wore coarse dresses, abstained of worldly feasts and oaths. Over it all they took to open them of charity, the care of the poor people and patients. All it Marguerite observed it heroically since three years. Nevertheless the Franciscans of the convent showed their apprehensions touch his/her/its perseverance, Marguerite tells to them: "Don't fear because I am young and weak. The Christ some that I put my confidence will make so that nor flatteries nor the torments won't be able to separate me of him."

When she/it had been received in the order of the Penitence, she/it gets damaged in the prayer starting with the Dieu-Aimé one of these interminable dialogues of which she/it was customary.

Did she/it hear the divine then Crucified to ask him "That you want, my small poor? "And the penitence to answer: "Now I want you, my Lord Jesus, only. »

Today pilgrim kneels again with emotions owing the old crucifix that heard Marguerite's tearful prayer and taught him to taught to achieve the dream of his/her/its life: to like and to be liked

Marguerite had a son, and this son was for her a source of torments.

His/her/its arrival had been wanted ardently and his/her/its entry in the world greeted like a happy event: "Now, told itself Marguerite, my lover won't be a right anymore to defer the marriage. Finally I could walk next to him without blushing, the conscience in peace and the happy heart. The child will be later a noble knight, who will achieve big things. »

Alas! What disillusion and what pain for the young woman when the Lord of Montepulciano refused the marriage! She/it stayed an illegitimate child's mother. This child was his/her/its shame, she liked it as the fruit of his/her/its innards, dull his/her/its presence weighed him.

After the murder of Arsenio, she/it hoped to make his/her/its son, a honest worker, in the house of Tancredo he/it would grow as herself had grown and would win his/her/its life later..

Alas! This dream also vanishes when Tancredo closed him the door to the face, his/her/its son would be as her beggar and vagabond and dishonored.

His/her/its view had his/her/its mother's court bled It blamed bitterly for having caused an innocent's misfortune, can be even it would be caused it of his/her/its eternal misfortune, a damned mother! Juice, one day that she/it cried to this thought, comforted it and says to him: "Your son will run away, but he will be your martyrdom! ."

In Cortone she/it associated the poor child to his/her/its life of penitence. For what reason? Was this by instinctive reaction against one past that she/it had wanted to annihilate or by making suffer not only from his/her/its own body, but again the flesh of his/her/its flesh? Was this to accustom it to one austere and bitter life in him a lecherous and proud heredity? The fact is that early his/her/its ambition was to see to become it as it child of François saint of foundation. The small lived relegated in a corner and therefore damned to the silence not only it could not ever speak of the past, nor to make allusion to his/her/its father, but it could not disturb his/its mother in his/her/its continual prayer. He/it saw it preparing the sweet and the luscious dishes as he/it tasted some once, but these good things were for others, for the poor people and the patients took care her mom therefore. When all was left by his/her/its destination, the poor youngster received a dry bread piece with some walnuts and olives some leaves of lettuce. Ever one didn't eat any cool figs, because Marguerite wanted to punish itself to have eaten too greedily once of of it.. the son paid for the mother.

Another master was necessary for the child, Giunta fra and Marguerite's protective ladies ended up convincing it to send his/her/its son in the school of Arezzo. He/it would receive the instruction and an education appropriated to his/her/its age and his/her/its needs there. These charitable souls offered themselves to pay for the price of the pension. "No, answered Marguerite, I would work, I will make savings and I will pay for myself my child's school. »

But has that toward Christmas he/it murmurs runs that the child disappeared. It was not to come back to spend his/her/its vacations home as the other schoolchildren. The house didn't have anything attractive for his/her/its young heart. But, one said, he/it committed suicide of despair, when one revealed him his/her/its sad origins!…

Marguerite lived of the laborious hours, loaded of anguish, reading on touts the faces of the reproaches for his/her/its toughness,: one called it denatured mother.

Then Jesus comforted it, but orders him not to speak to anybody the following day: what was worth him a new suffering. Indeed, the school teacher of Arezzo comes to Cortone to search for Marguerite to ask him for the price of the pension that she had to negligee to pay. He/it found it in the church Saint-François knelt and absorbed in the prayer, he/it exposes him the goal of his/her/its visit and the press to balance his/her/its debt. No answer. He/it insists, comes from it to the injuries and to the threats.; lost Pain: the Saint doesn't move and makes the deaf ear. The pedagogue shouts strong so that the Franciscans manage to inquire one by one of the reason of this incursion, ON their turn they press the penitence to explain itself/themselves, but without success... and strength to all to retire without having anything gotten. The school teacher expresses an opinion that he had before him a thief or a disrupted.

The following day, Marguerite explains to Giunta fra that the voice of the Mr. had been stronger than the one of his/her/its setting, she forbade him to open the mouth: It would teach him to try the injuries and the calumnies in to justify itself/themselves. "Owing my accusers, the day of my passion, tells him the Mr. I was quiet, to "Pilate's big astonishment.

However the child continued her studies in Arezzo and when came the canonical age, he entered in religion in the Franciscan order. This news fills Marguerite of joy; but the Lord reveals him a fact that the pain deeply and cause him quickest apprehensions for his/her/its son's future. The religious youngster inherited the nature vicious of his/her/its father he appeared impulsive and lazy, one morning that had not risen to attend the office - what decorated it enough frequently happened to him-the guardian father surrendered to his/her/its cell, according to the use of the time, armed d‘un whip to hit of it to him (the strokes, the fastings, the jail was part of the monastic discipline). TO his/her/its view, the young man bounds of his shower, threw himself on the superior and pulled him the whip of the hands violently.

It was there an act of rebellion of which he/it had to repent immediately at the risk of seeing to aggravate his/her/its case.. aware Marguerite mysteriously of the incident, immediately rush a messenger in Cortone to ask the guardian father to send him his/her/its son, she/it hoped that the view of the maternal pain would heal it of his/her/its violence. He/it came, accompanied; of brother Ubertin of Casale, the animator of the "spiritual" Franciscans who had the opportunity thus to see Marguerite and made his/her/its élonge later.
Pale Marguerite, defeat, the face flooded of tears, said with an agonizing accent,: " My Son, do I know all, did I see everything, is this therefore there your goodwill for the divine praise? is this as well as do you recognize your superior goodness!… does She/it recall him the recommendations that she/it had made him in a letter that Fra Giunta kept us in testimony of the genuine mercy who enlivened the Saint.

"Blessed you, my son, by the Lord are to which you you are dedicated. For his/her/its love you fight so valiantly in the ranks of his/her/its soldiers, I will keep you all my affection; and I will be your mother if you observe touts faithfully these things that I had teach you to you.

First, I exhort you to root in your soul the deeply humble obedience and to practice the deference towards the brothers of the order with such a benignity that you serve each before his/her/its title, without particular predilection for no one. Task then, because of the gratitude that you owe to God therefore for such the that he/it conceded to you, to be always happy, respectful, honest and of ever to speak ill of no one. In all, according to the rule and the use of your very holy Order, be reserved and escape the company useless of people of the century honestly, remain always united to you brothers and to the holy men.

That your prayers, oh my son, are religious and fervid, and hold you always ready, by an attentive vigilance, to surmount your enemy's multiple ambushes. Don't hide anything from your confessor of that that he/it must know your soul, because one cannot take care of the patient if he/it doesn't discover his/its wounds. Welcome faithfully and in all leniency the advice that you will be given by wiser than you, and prefer them in all, as more profitable, to the advice of your own heart. Recite your hours with respect before the Lord without distraction of mind and body; recite them to the time prescribes by our Mother his/her/its Saint Church without deferring them and doesn't let some no. When a few brother will take you you shortcomings, immediately discover the head, and, on the knees on the floor, after having repressed all worthy of revolt patiently, you will confess humble your mistake, in all your tribulations, draw your comfort in the memory of your Lord crucified and curve of good heart the head before the orders of your superior that hold God's place. To all words that come out of your lips essayent to oppose like a wall of the law of decorum and the purity, either slow to speak, moderate and reflexive in your subjects. Examine all your thoughts as soon as they begin and in everything that you will decide to make, avoid to offend our God. To serve the Lord with a pure heart, keep your senses of all vice. Often reread this letter that I address to you, keep it close to you until your death, and accomplished perfectly all things that there his/her/its contained. »

Never again, he/it decorated, the religious youngster doesn't relive her mother, but he became a good Franciscan priest and a zealous missionary.

So much time the Christ blamed Marguerite: "You only think of you: to like and to feel you beloved, to taste the sweets of the love, has what you want. You are like a child who wants the maternal breast greedily, you are a small poor. " But Marguerite doesn't taste these words, She wants to savor the peace, to bathe in light, to have the certainty to like and to be liked, It is in this goal that she doesn't save any effort you even at the cost of deprivations and sacrifices that make to quiver, fasting, praying, crying unceasingly. As once she/it had liked the man with all the ardor of his/her/its young heart and had suffered cruelly from not being married, now she/it likes Jesus of all his/her/its strengths and cannot resolve to feel fragile. "But, my small poor, tells him Jesus, so much that they are on the earth, my friends receive strengths, no his/her/its insurances."

"My small poor! " This appellation hurts him. She/it discovers a staleness of mercy that humiliates it, The Lord decorated to question his/her/its attachment. She/it would like to be called "My daughter"

But Jesus tells to him: "Then you time to make a general confession of your life to Giunta fra, in order to break completely with the past and not to be plue the child of the sin."

Eight days during, Marguerite makes to the religious a detailed confession, explained minutely or toues his/her/its mistakes pasts are judged implacably in light of his/her/its new life, Eight days during, she refuses of eats, to drink, to sleep,; she/it cries, she/it cries toues the tears of his/her/its eyes and his/her/its voice becomes so weak, that Giunta fra doesn't understand it anymore, a breath that exhales itself of his/her/its dry lips. One would say a dying that united his/her/its supreme strengths to express the anguish of his/her/its soul..

One day finally, when the solemn Mass is finished at the church and that the crowd retires, all of a sudden Marguerite shivers, his/her/its face becomes waxy, his/her/its vitreous look, a rope to the such neck a condemned to death, it prostrates to receive the God Aimée in the host that he stretches the priest, collapse then between the arms of a compassionate companion.

She/it lies, the eyes wide open, but without look. The members are cold and rigid. One would say a dead, Then, little by little the heat comes back, life is born again: "My soul is big as the world, it exclaims while waking up. Oh inexpressible sweetness of my God! Oh the beautiful day that the Christ had promised me! He/it called me his/her/its daughter. "My daughter" has me he says. »

Then she/it falls again in the silence, After one pause: "Lord, I implore of it to you, that never again I offend you! that I always like you! that I am you faithful without defection!…."

This stage, far from building the brothers who had been witnesses of it, rather worried them. What mind did Marguerite possess and drove it? Was this the mind of God or the mind of darkness? One can speak like an angel, said holy Paul, and can stay without charity, similar to a resounding cymbal.

The superior wanted to put the ecstatic to the test. Accompanied of Giunta fra and brother Raynald, he interrogated Marguerite. "I know; he/it says; a soul tied up in the ties of the sin and that will damn itself certainly for the eternity, so Marguerite doesn't have mercy of it. Do you can, does he/it tell it, to save it if you give up the spiritual consolations that you now taste forever, you Want to save this soul? »

Marguerite struck by this demand didn't answer and an icy silence fell on the interlocutors, the cœurses beat anxiety; one was going to know if one was above in front of a saint, putting the charity, the neighbor's love for God all personal satisfaction or in presence of a poor patient, toy of dangerous illusions, Marguerite struggled anguished between two painful alternatives: to give up the sweets of the love so ardently wanted or to cause the loss of a soul purchased by the divine blood. Finally she/it answered: To "give up the delights that I cause the presence of Dieu-Aimé, me then on the other hand to be the mistake of the eternal damnation of a soul, either me then. I would not know how to answer your question therefore. »


That day one didn't speak anymore of the rapture, but Giunta fra consigned the fact in his/her/its manuscript, as there adding that it was December 27, 12765, of it celebrates it of Jean saint the evangelist.

Is "better to give that to receive "says Jesus. The Franciscans often repeated it to Marguerite and pushed it toward the practice of the good works as being more safe from the illusions: this is not to the charity, to the love that they testify to the neighbor that one recognizes the Christ's true disciples? But Marguerite felt attracted toward the solitude: To isolate itself/themselves with the Christ not to see and to hear qu him, to enjoy in peace and his/her/its presence. However the life of l‘Ami took the dialogue: To "like that is not enjoy but to suffer, to forget itself/themselves, to go without, to give up excellent things even to serve". Lasts lesson that the apostles, in Jesus' company, candle a long time to understand. Nothing astonishing therefore that the poor Marguerite, so heroically penitent, has searched t, in the Christ's soft intimacy, a compensation to his/her/its frightening austerities. Nothing could surpass to its eyes this enjoyment.

However she/it was forced to pass itself/themselves and to give up the Christ apparently for the Christ, imitating Madeleine kissing with transportation the feet of the Mr. resuscitated and that this one separated while sending it to announce to the apostles the good news of the resurrection.
On the mountain that the Rocca, the proud fortress of Cortone, crowns there was a quit hermitage, Marguerite longed for to spend his/her/its days there, There she would be far from the world, only with his/her/its Beloved. No one would come to distract it of his/her/its conversation with him and she/it would taste her/its favors in full liberty, two times she/it surrendered of it and wanted to establish itself/themselves of it. Two times the brothers-minor obliged it to even his/her/its retirement and to go back to Cortone, at the risk of more to take care of his/her/its soul. To similar Marguerite threat obeys and came back to snuggle up close to the Franciscan church, the big heart and the eyes full of tears.

"You only think about you" had said him Jesus. Hey well! no. She/it could also think about the other and could forget himself to serve them. She/it will multiply her/its acts of charity and will take to the good œuvres. The extent of his/her/its devotion will show the ardor of his/her/its love.

But she/it is without resources and without credit: a poor woman who "makes some households" and that takes to the mercy after one troubled past, an extravagant a few mad. Confess that it is little to sit a work. But Marguerite wants to show to Jesus that she knows how to forget itself to be he pleasant and to serve his/her/its neighbor to please to him.

Guided by his/her/its love, she/it first of all tries to win the good graces of the influential people: the bishop of Arezzo, in that time, ecclesiastical superior of Cortone and the holy knight the man of the hour who has just delivered the city of the yoke of the Arêtinses, entrenched in the fortress, Hugues Casati is his/her/its name, all as the bishop he grants his/its patronage, Monna Diabella is a packs down rich and generous. She/it puts at the disposal of Marguerite his/her/its devotion and his/her/its home, close to the Berarde door. Other people follow her example; Gilia, Adriana, Giovanella, Marguerite of Siena. All belong to the order of the Penitence, we will say today Third-Order Franciscan. Thanks to Marguerite the small farmer of Laviano, that one says a little unbalanced and poor as Job, a hospital emerged see you later it is endowed, furnished, gone against and populated of paupers, of patients, of invalids, of pilgrim, a whole world of poor persons,.

Anxious to perpetuate his/her/its work, Marguerite institutes a fraternity mid nun-mid-layman, who must assure the length of it. She/it collects and collect funds, take care of the patients, visit the invalids at home jusqu in the countries, without forgetting the prisoners, she/it draws in the prayer and in the daily experience the regulation and the clarification of the institution. The bishop of Arezzo approves it in 1288, after having noted that the working under Marguerite's flexible and strong direction is in all worthy of praise.

By recognition for the brothers - minor that guide it and sustain it since his/her/its arrival in Cortone, she/it stipulates that one will appropriate on goods of the hospital what is necessary to the infirmary of the convents Franciscan. Because this woman is a mystic who doesn't lose a view the concrete realities of the existence. while pursuing his/her/its conversation in the heaven, she puts the feet on the earth, "You are my brother, my inspirer, my spouse she to the Christ, who answers to him says: "You are my daughter, my companion, my elected. »

Very religious to the Virgin Mary Marie, Marguerite calls her hospital "Notre-Dame of mercy"

Suppressed one instant by Napoléon, the hospital exists again today and it is gone against para of the nuns. The foundation of the "Small Poor people" (Poverelle) yours good after seven centuries.

Thanks to Mercy, Marguerite became popular in Cortone. One now considered it like a saint. One asked him to hold the children on baptismal fonts. One assigned him miracles: some patients pretended healed by the touching of his/her/its hands, of the agitated pacified speaks contact of his/her/its clothes, of the possessed of the devil delivered by his/her/its prayers! She/it had beautiful to protest: "I am a small poor, a sinner, only God is big "As approaching me you will become again sicker!!!!" One didn't listen it.

More one surrounded it with respect and reverence, more she/it longed for to run away and to hide in the solitude with the beloved Christ. But said him the Franciscans: Is not this the Christ that you like in the poor people and the patients, that you take care of to "Mercy". Forget yourselves what he/it will tell the last judgment: This that you felt good to the neighbor, it is myself that you made it? "And Marguerite to answer: "My neighbor is the one that close to me. And who is therefore closer to me that the Christ? He/it is not close to me, in me? Can one be closer to my soul that him? »

While always trying to keep it close to the church Saint-François, the Franciscans also obeyed a preoccupation very township to the Middle Ages. They believed Marguerite on the path of the Holiness and foresaw the day or she/it would die and would be buried in their chapel. But if she/it moved away her/its relics would be going to enrich another church and it is what they wanted to avoid.

However the day will come or Marguerite will move away definitely of Saint-François, Nevertheless it is a Franciscan church that possesses today are his/her/its relics.

Even after the death, the small Poor remained faithful to his/her/its promise not to leave the sons of the Poverello, his/her/its protectors.

While actively taking care of the hospital that she/it had founded, Marguerite intensified her mystical life. Witness this page or Giunta fra tells what arrived to the Saint to one date that it is impossible to specify, but that belongs certainly to the period that follows the foundation of "Mercy."

"The passion of our king Jésus-Christ, he/it writes; and the Saint's compassion Virgin Marie had impressed Marguerite's soul deeply.

To such point that she/it endured herself gladly and with joy everything that arrived him of laborious of painful. One night that she/it had implored for a long time with tears the Lord to make feel him as quickly as possible Marie's sufferings to the foot of the cross, she/it heard the Christ to tell to him very clearly: "Return early you tomorrow morning, according to your habit, to the convent of my brothers. There you will taste the bitterness of my passion as you never experimented it. »

"Arrived to the convent, she/it sent me to ask me, his/her/its confessor, for the favor to go all day by the church, because the Lord had revealed to him that in this day it would be crucified spiritually.


"The Mass being finished toward the third hour (9 hs. and half), this holy soul started meditating the Savior's passion. She/it lives in mind the traitor's dealings, she/it heard the hateful excitations of the Jews and their discussions, she/it lives the Christ delivered by a kiss, she/it lives it to bind and dragged to the gleam of the torchlights and lanterns toward the palace of the big ready, she/it attended Pierre's repudiation; to the flight of the apostles.

"When Marguerite heard to shout: Here is your King" and "We don't have another king that Caesar" and "I don't find him any crime, take it and crucify it - you-same", his/her/its anguish became such that we believed that it was going to die. Then she/it says: Now he/it leaves the court, he/it leaves of the city. Simon carries his cross; now he/it is crucified between two brigands. The bad thief blasphemes; the good prays, and I hear the Lord to promise him the paradise, Jesus confided his mother to the disciple, the Jews insult it blaspheme, - darkness spreads on the earth. The Lord is thirsty and one waters it of vinegar, it forgives to his/its executioners and puts back his/her/its soul between his/her/its Father's hands, the soldier pierces him the heart of the spear.

"Soon all the vile had wind of that that happened to the church Saint-François and this one was full of world. One left his/her/its boutique or his/her/its shop to come to see: men and women, young and old, sick and people healthy ran to the envi. They kick out Marguerite no under, but on the cross, aimed by the suffering. His/her/its teeth creaked of pain, Marguerite twisted like a worm that one crushes, his/her/its face was livid, the imperceptible pulse, it was frozen and incapable to speak, it lies thus until the ninth hour (3 hs, of the afternoon) without seeing nor the helpers who would surround it and moaned in side of the tears, nor the women who called it by his/her/its name and tried to sustain it. At the ninth hour, she/it inclined the head that fell again on the chest, then she/it stayed insensible and immobile. One believed it dead.

"When fell in the evening, one would have said that she/it revived of splices the deaths. The face radiated, the eyes opened up and rose skywards, it started renting God. But seeing the church full of world, she/it saddened herself/itself by what it was in public and no in his/her/its cell that this vision had taken place. But the Lord calmed it while saying: "Don't be afraid, don't annoy you, because I made of you a mirror for the sinners, so that even most hardened learn how much I am ready to forgive and to save."

And continuous Giunta: "To the fall of the night, I allowed Marguerite to go back at home; what she/it made. Similar to Madeleine, she/it asked all for those that she/it met or they had deposited his/her/its Lord and or she/it would have discovered it. She/it persevered in this desire until the morning of Easter without eating to sleep nor.

"To the morning of Easter, the office was very solemn in the church of the minor brothers, and me, Giunta fra, his/her/its confessor, I was in chair and I preached, Marguerite was out of herself of pain and in presence of the crowd, she got to shouted some asked to me if I didn't know or one had deposited his/her/its Mr. and Lord. His/her/its tears were so abundant that the helpers, them also, started crying… in order to prevent that the predication was disturbed, I answered him high voices: "The Savior for that you look is good and merciful; soon you will see it". While hearing these words, she/it sat down again deader than quick.

"After the Mass, she/it turned around some while crying and while asking all for those that she/it met: "Do have-you the Lord? Do you know or is he/it? " Gone back at home, his/her/its tears flowed even more abundant; she/it refused to drink, to eat, to sleep repeating without getting tired,: " My Jesus, my love, who pulled you me therefore? who hid you? How could I live without you? »

"She/it stayed in prey to his/her/its grief until the morning of the second day of Easter. Then the Lord appeared to it beaming of immortality. This vision dissipated its sadness and fills it of joy. »

It is a Friday-holy that Marguerite attends in mind the Christ's passion. The office of the day had prepared it the song of the gospel of Jean saint, of the Impropèreses and the worship of the cross. She/it understood what was the bitter pain endured by the man-God then. The words that he/it had told to him came back him to the memory and penetrated in his/her/its flesh for in more to leave ever: "Prepare you to fight and to suffer so much that you will live very biting pains. As well as gold purifies itself in the furnace, you will be purified by the tribulations temptations, infirmities, pains, fears, eves, tears, hunger, thirst, cold will make you suffer. Support all with rejoicing because in each of these tribulations, I will be with you and one day you will pass in the glory of the eternal happiness. »

Some new strengths now enliven the Penitent. The tragic and divine vision exalted it.

The I er May 1288, Marguerite entered in the small hermitage of the "Rocca" and began his/her/its recluse's life. The "Small Poor people" of Mercy had in vain tried to keep it permit them and the Franciscans to punish defended it to Giunta fra to be going to see it more of once per week, then they changed it of residence and sent it in Siena.

During this time, she/it went to the secular clergy of the church Saint-Georges in Cortone and notably to going against it of the Saint-Basile church, because very near of his/her/its hermitage was an old ruined church, once occupied by the Benedictines, Marguerite gets the bishop of Arezzo, that after his/her/its restoration by the Cortonaises, a priest Badio Ventura was attached there was his/her/its name. Him as taken some notes touch its penitent and filled the hiatus caused by the absence of Giunta fra thus to a certain extent.

Marguerite's life was then a continual prayer, prayer mingled of tears, daily recitation of hundred of "W Paternoster", of the office of the Passion and interminable symposia with the Beloved.

A devout woman prepared him a little food and made itself give quantity of things to his/her/its profit, especially of the wine, whose Saint never tasted…

For lack of the men, the devil tempts despair the Hermit. " God, tells to him him, forgive all sins, but no the suicide that one inflicts itself under pretext of devotion". He/it is not therefore astonishing that Marguerite, anxious, wondered so indeed she accomplished God's will by his/her/its reclusage. Jesus reassures it: You escape the creatures because you know your weakness and you fear to lose my grace. You don't take offense. Your flight deserving st."

"Alas! moans Marguerite, I don't serve you, Lord. " And the Christ: "While escaping the world you must convert it by your example and by your words."

To every instant he/it asks him as to the apostle holy Pierre: Do you like "me? And the Saint to answer: "Lord, I believe that nor me, nor no creature never liked you and served as you deserve it".-"The one whose heart is pure and humble me set in mind and in truth" answers the Savior.

And who can therefore run away? ask for the Recluse, - "The one that detaches itself of the pain and shout night and day toward me. This man will be humble, charitable, pure, liking; he/it forgets himself/itself to become attached to Me and all to suffer if it is necessary. It like truly there."

In his/her/its legend Giunta fra kept the messages spiritual qu the recluse sent, by his/her/its means, to quantity of people, because his/her/its solicitude spread to all men. His/her/its mother had taught him to ask for all those that Jesus wanted that she prayed and Jesus tells to him: " I want that you pray for all without exception, because I want to save them all. »

First to the children of François saint.

Didn't he/it plant in the desert of the world a garden or did cultivate himself the love? A child of the Poverello must, as him, to be detached of all, to work to make like God, to like It himself of all his/her/its heart and to serve it with joy. That he/it preaches the gospel the letters of Paul saint and don't spread a vain science.!"

"He/it can receive communion every day, if he/it doesn't say pain of the neighbor. »

"That he/it keeps the use that ‘obedience imposes to him. »

To the Aged means the holy women found audience in the palaces and until in the camps, Margueritte benefits from this to prevent the war between the city of Cortone and the quarrelsome bishop of Arezzo, to pacify many quarrels between the noble families of the city. His/her/its pathetic and flaming messages carried to the recipients by the eloquent and popular Franciscan who was Giunta fra impressed the men of the time who were fascinated and violent, but believers.

The theme of his/her/its exhortations is the Christ's complaint that Giunta must bring back to those that she concerns:
"The Christ complains, I hear it, says Marguerite. He/it complains about the non married people who live in the sin that he/it expiated so toughly, He/it complains about the married people who desecrate the marriage and look for their pleasure there only, He/it complains about the challenging luxury of Satan's women suppliers and don't estimate their prayers and their pilgrimages by no means. He/it complains about the bad governors who look for their profit and bends the right to their caprices. lI complains about the testamentary executors, who don't respect the will of the deaths to depress it of the widows and orphans. He/it complains about the men of state who waste the public deniers. All for themselves and their partisans to the detriment of the common good. He/it complains about the tradesmen who deceive their clientele in the prices, the quantity and the quality of the goods and especially those that carry desire to their competitors! »

Fra Giunta transmitted these messages in the name of the Christ while being inspired by the developments that the Saint provided to him. However, this one entered in the least details of convenient order. That one judges some by the letter to a lady reputed by his/her/its piety and whose conduct was reprehensible a lot of points:

"She/it must make penitence for his/her/its excessive attachment to his/her/its husband is before either after the marriage, for his/her/its secret desire to eclipse the other by his/her/its toilet and his/her/its beauty, not to worry about the source of money that she/it spends, whereas he/it comes from the games or his/her/its husband's fraud, to be hard with regard to the beggars. She/it lacks heart towards his/her/its stepmother, his/her/its husband's family, his/her/its servants and his/her/its political adversaries, she/it lowers and disparage all those that she/it envies. His/her/its feelings hardly answer his/her/its beautiful words. Her aa not mercy of the sinners, because God's grace preserves it of big gaps, it is not thankful for the protection that God grants to him. She/it likes the sweet and wants that the other are content with the strict necessary she/it requires that one returns him service and lack of complaisance. She/it is insensible to the tests of others but worries too much of his/her/its small annoyances, she/it requires for her of the delicate cares and reproaches to the other their lack of mortification… All his/her/its life is full of shortcomings, but that it has confidence in Jesus and endeavor to correct itself/themselves, It will fill it with graces."

In fact a lot of people, touched by words of Marguerite qu Giunta fra transmitted to them, applied to him to make penitence, "I don't manage to clean all these stables - he said - And the Saint to answer: These are not stables but of the souls. »

Marguerite even raises the voice in the name of the Christ against the bishop of Arezzo, Guillaume Ubertin Pazzi dei, a protégé of the Germanic emperor, Frédéric II, that secured it of his/her/its bishopric. The prelate appears more anxious to fight than to pray. Didn't he/it hit of forbidden the city of Cortone and did make perish in the flames of the women and children? His/her/its ambition now the pushes again to the war. On three occasions, the Saint warns it and implores it to stay in peace. But he/it despises his/its exhortations and perishes in the battle of Campaldino, close to Ribiena, defeated by Florence's guelfes (1289) by his/her/its kindness, she/it drove it to God by the predication

"I order you - had said Jesus to Marguerite-to be going to live in the cell that is at the summit of the Rocca."

During nine years she/it had lived in the sin" during nine years she/it will live in the intimacy of crucified it. She/it will be as him in the suffering and the tribulations: "one spoke ill of me, one will tell some of you, my daughter, and your pains will go crescent, but as me you will be soon in the glory. »

The small cell, coupled to l ' church, is cold, high cloud, half demolished. Wind engulfs itself while screaming in the reduced poor person, sweep the poor braid that serves him of debris, makes roll on soil the goblet or it drinks…

To the outside of the women of Cortone, curious and unhappy of his/her/its departure, babble on his/her/its account. Then not seeing it, start abusing it and to throw some stones toward the narrow sky light that illuminates the piece or she/it took refuge, Marguerite finally leaves, she tries to calm the most furious among the shrews, while confessing him humbly that she is a big sinner and that she deserves the abuses that one lavishes to him. She/it even goes as far as offering him to enter at home and to eat the few of food that is destined to herself…

In the silence of the summer night, the voice distressed of the hermit rises and shout his/her/its sins in the sleepy city. "Raise yourselves, inhabitants of Cortone, and hunt me with stones, because I offended God and the men."

No one answers its screams, and the night pursuit peacefully his/her/its course.

Of other times the demon throws back the poor Marguerite in his/her/its retirement and obsess it by hideous and terrifying pictures. Or again he/it values him company for a long time. The sins of his/her/its past life stand before her, palpitating of actuality, she/it relives one would say these hours amolissantes and wonder anguished: Are they forgiven? "… Did I deplore them sufficiently?… one day finally, the Christ who hides but doesn't abandon it, to put on her his/her/its divine hand and says to him: "I absolve you, my daughter, in the name of my Father, Myself and the mind-Saint, of all your sins until this day. " Calmness is born again… at present.

The Saint suffers atrociously from an ulcer to the mouth and the Savior told to him: "To what does your pain serve? Your atonement is useless. The death will increase your torments." This time the angels sustain it and encourage it.

To some days, she/it moans and pray for the deaths that cleared the doorstep of the eternity. "That God is auspicious to them! " And the souls freed by his/her/its prayers come to visit it and to demonstrate him their delivery.

Does she/it also pray for his/her/its former accomplice, Arsenio, but doesn't receive an answer," Or is he/it therefore?" is the divine voice quiet one day in his/her/its heart more of sweetness, more of ecstasy, more of encouragement or consolation. She/it has the impression of is all alone! She/it had wanted the solitude to feel more intimately united to Jesus, and has that Jesus escapes. Probably she/it believes that he/it doesn't abandon it. But to believe and to feel are not the same things. And Marguerite cries, without glory, because she lost The one than her aime…Alors she doubles the screams of distress.

To it the sadness is added that it feels the loss of the Earth Saint. Saint Jean-D'Acre, the last stopping of the Christians, succumbed, the Moslems one takes and the Crescent replaces the Cross there. Then the Franciscan pope, Nicolas IV, that prepared the crusade dies. Finally the Franciscans who preached, quit their predication. And Margueritte that likes Jesus' countries, sees it back abandoned without hope.

Some unrests explode in Cortones and new slaughters are in perspective, Jesus intervenes and tells Margueritte: "Send to look in Siena for Giunta fra, so that he/it re-established the peace in the city". The Saint obeys and rush a Franciscan to carry the message. The atmosphere is quieter than at the time of the chapter. The preventions against the Hermit fell; one doesn't look anymore at it as a dangerous girl.

Fra Giunta is allowed to surrender in Cortone to re-establish the peace there and to see Marguerite again. She/it welcomes it with a touching devotion and the Franciscan is moved while reading the devastations of the illness on the face of the poor woman. Sustained by his/her/its prayers and his/her/its words, he/it gets to the work, He/it multiplies the visits and the exhortations to the powerful families of the two parties. Finally he/it has joy to see the hates lulling, the reconciliations to occur.

In the meantime the Seer also speaks him of the Franciscan order that she likes by inclination and by gratitude one t they guided not and sustained since soon a quarter of century? She/it announces him the uneasy times that their reserve the future, she/it is delighted with to see the brothers distrustful mojns than once, to visit it frequently, Fra Giunta and his/her/its superior, Jean of Castiglione, are not anymore carries away it at the sight of this poor creature tortured by the rheumatisms and shivering of ‘fever winters and the oppressive heat of the summer nights.

Fra Giunta that should have returned to Siena, his/her/its finished mission pacificatrice, could come back to Cortone to see to die his/her/its protégé. Once a small window gave on the church, allowed him to follow the Mass and to adore his/her/its Jesus in the host. Now it is in his/her/its room that one celebrates the sacrifice. During seventeen days she/it doesn't have a food qu The Eucharist. Alerted by the announcement of one end next, those that survive his/her/its benefactresses and his/her/its collaborators went up jusqu the hermitage and filled his/her/its cell, they sob and pray.

The flame of love finishes to consume the Penitent whose ear closes itself to the noises of the earth.

To the morning of February 22, 1297, while a pale sun rose, Marguerite returned mildly his/her/its soul to God.

Henceforth it was the union perfected with The one that had delighted his/her/its heart. The ulcer of his/her/its mouth was healed by the kiss of Beloved.


The Saint's funeral ceremony was a triumphal cortege rather than a funeral convoy. The balmy and covered body of a crimson dress, grant of knight Casoli, surrounded with thousands of candles, was deposited in the Saint-Basile church, adjoining to his/her/its hermitage, of or Marguerite had left for the sky.

Convinced that she/it was up there, one started invoking it. The miracles answered this call. The blinds regained the view, of the mute the speech. Two resurrections, the one of a child and the one of an adult finished to make she popular. Especially the delivery of possessed patients of the demon and the conversion many sinners showed that she/it continued her/its work of mercy and apostolate. "I will bless and I will grant those that will invoke you", had promised him the Christ, and the Saint, assured of the divine forgiveness, had exclaimed: "It is not difficult his/her/its to save bitter" is sufficient.

Is he/it therefore astonishing that to the XIV e century already Marguerite's cult spills? In the XVIe century, the pope Léon X approves this cult immemorial e kneels before the shrine, Clement IX declares it Blissful. Finally May 16, 1728, feast of the Pentecost, Benoît canonizes the penitent courtesan.

Some memories moving of his/her/its protection even exist, every year, the civil and religious authorities celebrate the delivery of Cortone. During the war of Charles-Quint against François 1, 25,000 Germans assiégent the city, vowed to the depredation and the massacre. One asked the Saint and two companies of soldiers of the garrison had reason of the imperial army.

The church that currently covers its tomb is, it also, the fruit of a vœu. In 1855, the cholera ravages the city, layer in the tomb, in some days a thousand of victims, but it stops as soon as the Cortonaises, magistrates in head, promised to build a beautiful church in the Saint's honor. The gold of Italy, France and Belgium, or his/her/its cult is spilled very, permitted to accomplish the vœu.

In short, Marguerite became the palladium of the city that was control of the penitence and his/her/its charity.