Lucy Filippini

Lucy Filippini (Italian: Santa Lucia Filippini) (13 January 1672 – 25 March 1732) is venerated as a Roman Catholic saint.

Lucy Filippini was born on 13 January 1672 in Corneto-Tarquinia. She was the fifth and youngest child of Filippo Filippini and Maddalena Picchi. She orphaned at an early age. At the age of six, she went to live with her aristocratic aunt and uncle who encouraged her religious inclination by entrusting her education to the Benedictine nuns at Santa Lucia.

Her career began under the patronage of Cardinal Marcantonio Barbarigo, who entrusted her with the work of founding schools for young women, especially the poor. With Rose Venerini to train school teachers, she co-founded the Pious Teachers, a group dedicated to the education of girls. The young ladies of Montefuscione were taught domestic arts, weaving, embroidering, reading, and Christian doctrine. Twelve years later the Cardinal devised a set of rules to guide Lucy and her followers in the religious life. Fifty-two schools were established during Lucy's lifetime. Pope Clement XI, in 1707, called Lucy to Rome to start schools which he placed under his special protection. She died of breast cancer in 1732, aged 60, at Montefiascone.

Lucy Filippini was canonized 22 June 1930. Her statue can be seen in the south nave of St. Peter's Basilica. Her feast day is March 25.