Christina von Stommeln - also known as the Blessed Christina von Stommeln - was a stigmatic, Roman Catholic mystic and ecstatic who died on this day in 1312.
She was born to farming parents in the village of Stumbeln (Stommeln), Germany in July 1242, and at the young age of 5, she began to have religious visions. At age 12 she ran away from home after her parents wanted to arrange her marriage, at this point she joined a Beguine community in Cologne where a few years later she began to exhibit stigmata on her palms, feet and head, as well as mystic episodes. Sadly, by now she was widely regarded as being insane, and was returned to her home village in disgust (not very Christian eh?)
Her life was to take a more positive turn however, as when back in the village, she was put into the care of the local Priest, here she met 'Peter of Dacia' who became a lifelong friend, when he died her experiences stopped, and she lived the rest of her life peacefully until her death aged 70.
Her remains have been moved many times since her initial burial in Stommeln, and her resting place was spared during the air raids of World War 2.
She was beatified on November 8th 1908 by Pope Pius X.
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