1. Marianna Fontanella, OCD, known as Maria degli Angeli or Mary of the Angels, was an Italian Catholic member of the Discalced Carmelites.
12 Facts About Marianna Fontanella
1. 2.
Marianna Fontanella soon became a noted abbess and prioress and in 1703 inaugurated a new convent of which she herself oversaw the establishment.
3.
Marianna Fontanella was beatified in 1865 by Pope Pius IX.
4.
Marianna Fontanella was born in Turin in 1661 as the ninth of eleven children to the nobleman Giovanni Fontanella, Count of Santena, and his wife, Maria Tana.
5.
Marianna Fontanella entered the order at their convent of Santa Cristina.
6.
Marianna Fontanella entered because she liked their charism and was fascinated with the examples of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross.
7.
Marianna Fontanella was at first overcome with homesickness and at first disliked their pattern of life in addition to not getting along with the novice mistress at the time.
8.
Marianna Fontanella became known for unusual penitential practices which included suspending herself with rope in the form of a cross and binding her tongue in an iron ring.
9.
Marianna Fontanella reported experiencing several visions and numerous demonic attacks and staved them off with the aid of her confessor after suffering from these demonic visions for three years.
10.
Marianna Fontanella became the novice mistress the convent she was stationed at in 1694 and at the same time was made prioress.
11.
Marianna Fontanella was noted for her ardent devotion to Saint Joseph and for her devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
12.
Marianna Fontanella decided to establish a Discalced Carmelite convent named in honour of Saint Joseph in Moncalieri after receiving encouragement from Sebastian Valfre.