Lambertini, Imelda, Bl.

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LAMBERTINI, IMELDA, BL.

Virgin; b. Bologna, Italy, c. 1321; d. near Bologna, May 12, 1333. Born of a noble family, she entered the Dominican cloister of Valdipietra near Bologna. Since she was under 12, then the required age for First Communion, her ardent request for Holy Communion was denied. On Ascension Day 1333, when the nuns received Communion, Imelda, then 11 years old, remained in her place. Suddenly, it was reported, the Sacred Host appeared above her head. The priest gave it to the child, whose First Communion was also her last, for she died in the rapture of her thanksgiving. She was beatified in 1826, and in 1910 was proclaimed the patroness of first communicants.

Feast: May 13.

Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum May 3:181183. Daughters of St. Paul, Her Dream Came True; The Life of Bl. Imelda Lambertini (Boston 1967). Année dominicaine, Sept 2 (Lyon 1900) 527545. a. butler, The Lives of the Saints (New York 1956) 2:301.

[m. j. finnegan]