I have a new devotion to St. Gemma Galgani given that my first granddaughter born 2 weeks ago is named Gemma. I was very pleased this morning to see
@JustAdaugoijele’s very nice tribute to St. Gemma below.
Last week I searched online for vintage books on this humble Maid of Luca with the luminous and peaceful face who was called “an angel in human form” and became a 20th Century Saint after shunning the glittering prizes of the world for a short life of Christian virtue and purity. (Note: I feel compelled to “rescue” vintage hardcover Catholic books, particularly on Saints.)
Indeed, I was pleased to find two out of print books on St. Gemma published in 1941 and 1949 from two separate sources in different parts of the country and I ordered them. I received the books two days apart and amazingly I discovered they were both owned by a man named John A. Cigna. Clearly Mr. Cigna had a devotion to St. Gemma as he meticulously cared for the books and pasted and included numerous vintage holy cards and photos of her. (See photos in next comment)
Thank you. Mr. Cigna and I plan to carry on your devotion to St. Gemma. As the new caretaker of these gorgeous books I am looking forward one day to gifting them to my granddaughter Gemma. In the books, she will learn about the sweet and touching spiritual secrets of St. Gemma, such as “in her Letters and Ecstacies she repeats the name of Jesus well over 2,332 times, that is, on an average ten or twelve times in every one of her letters.”
Gemma will also learn that the Latin inscription on her namesake’s tomb says: “Gemma Galgani of Lucca, a most innocent virgin, who, consumed rather by the fire of divine love than by disease, in the twenty-fifth year of her age, went forth to her heavenly espousals on the eleventh of April, 1903, this being the vigil of our Lord’s Resurrection. Peace be to thee, sweet soul, in the company of Angels.”
St. Gemma, ora pro nobis🙏❤️
Do you know that during exorcisms, Saint Gemma Galgani is a saint, so powerful, that she assist exorcists due to the fear demons have of her.
She is the patron saint of people suffering from back injury, headaches, migraines, and those struggling with temptations to impurity,
May she intercede for everyone having headaches and migraines, today.
Amen