Lucy Filippini

She founded the Institute of the Maestre Pie, dedicated to the education of young girls.

Saint Lucy Filippini
Religious
Born	13 January 1672 Corneto-Tarquinia, Papal States
Died	25 March 1732 (aged 60) Montefiascone, Papal States
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	13 June 1926, Saint Peter's Basilica, Kingdom of Italy by Pope Pius XI
Canonized	22 June 1930, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope Pius XI
Major shrine	Montefiascone Cathedral
Feast	25 March
Attributes	Religious habit
Patronage	Religious Teachers Filippini

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 had not yet reached her first birthday when her mother died and was buried in the Church of San Marco. Her father, whom she loved dearly, also died six years later and was buried in the Church of Santa Margherita in Corneto.She was 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 with Marcantonio Barbarigo the Pious Teachers (Religious Teachers Filippini), a group dedicated to the education of girls. The young ladies of Montefiascone 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 first upper niche from the main entrance on the left (south) side of the nave of St. Peter's Basilica. Her feast day is 25 March.

• Religious Teachers Filippini