Died: 619, Mecca, Arabia [now Saudi Arabia]Khadijah was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad (the founder of Islam), whom she met when she was the widow of a wealthy merchant and had become prosperous in the management of her own commercial dealings.Having hired Muhammad as a business agent, Khadijah soon came to see him […]
Born: 1342, probably Norwich, Norfolk, EnglandDied: after 1416 Julian of Norwich was an English mystic and author of Revelations of Divine Love, an extraordinary record of medieval religious experience. She was born in Norwich, England. When she was 30 years old, she suffered a grave illness. While convalescing, she claimed to experience a series of
Born: July 20, 1591, Alford, Lincolnshire, EnglandDied: August or September 1643,Pelham Bay, New York [U.S.] Anne Hutchinson was an American religious reformer, born Anne Marbury in Alford, England. In 1612, she married William Hutchinson, bore him 14 children, and following the lead of their firstborn son, immigrated with her family in 1634 to the Massachusetts
Born: 1157, Izu Province, JapanDied: Aug. 16, 1225, KamakuraMasako was the wife of Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-99), the first shogun, or military dictator, of Japan. She is said to have been largely responsible for Yoritomo’s success, and after his death she assumed great power.Masako fell in love with Yoritomo when he was exiled from the capital
Born: 1098, Böckelheim, West Franconia [now in Germany]Died: September 17, 1179, Rupertsberg, near Bingen; traditional feast day September 17Hildegard was a German abbess, visionary mystic, and composer. Hildegard was born of noble parents and was educated at the Benedictine cloister of Disibodenberg by Jutta, an anchorite and sister of the count of Spanheim, whom Hildegard
Born: November 26, 1792, Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.Died: December 23, 1873, Hyde Park, MassachusettsBorn: February 20, 1805, CharlestonDied: October 26, 1879, Hyde Park Both Grimké sisters were American anti-slavery crusaders and advocates of women’s rights.The Southern-born Grimké sisters early developed an antipathy towards both slavery and the limitations on the rights of women. Sarah, who
Born: c. 605, Mecca, Arabia [now in Saudi Arabia]Died: 633, MedinaFatimah was the daughter of Muhammad (the founder of Islam) who in later centuries became the object of deep veneration by many Muslims, especially the Shi’ites. Muhammad had other sons and daughters, but they either died young or failed to produce a long line of
Born: July 16, 1821, Bow, near Concord,New Hampshire, U.S.Died: December 3, 1910, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts Mary Baker Eddy was the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Mary Baker was born in Bow, New Hampshire. She received most of her early education at home from her brother, and began a lifelong study of the Bible.
Born: April 4, 1802, Hampden, District of Maine, Massachusetts [now in Maine], U.S.Died: July 17, 1887, Trenton, New Jersey Dorothea Lynde Dix was an American philanthropist andreformer, born in Hampden, Maine. About 1820 she established a school for girls in Boston and served as its head during the ensuing 15 years. She became interested in
Born: July 16, 1194, Assisi, duchy of Spoleto [Italy]Died: Aug 11, 1253, Assisi; canonized 1255;feast day August 11 Saint Clare of Assisi was an Italian nun, born in Assisi of a rich and noble family. In 1211, she heard the Italian monk and preacher St. Francis of Assisi preach, and, inspired by his eloquence, she
Flourished 3rd century, Rome; feast day November 22 Saint Cecilia was a Christian martyr who, since legend speaks of her singing to God in her heart, became known as the patron of music. According to tradition she was betrothed to a youth named Valerian, whom she converted to Christianity, and the two were martyred for
Born: March 25, 1347, Siena, TuscanyDied: April 29, 1380, Rome; canonized 1461;feast day April 29Saint Catherine of Siena was a Dominican nun mystic and Doctor of the Church, who played a significant role in the public affairs of her day.Originally named Caterina Benincasa, she was born in Siena, Italy, on March 25, 1347, to a
Born: c. 1303, SwedenDied: July 23, 1373, Rome [Italy]; canonized Oct 8, 1391; feast day July 23, formerly October 8Bridget was the patron saint of Sweden, founder of the Brigittine Order, and a mystic whose revelations were influential during the European Middle Ages.The daughter of Birger Persson, governor of Uppland, she had from an early
Born: Jan 7, 1844, Lourdes, FranceDied: April 16, 1879, Nevers; canonized Dec 8, 1933;feast day April 16, but sometimes February 18 in France Bernadette was Miller’s daughter whose visions led to the founding of the shrine of Lourdes.Frail in health, Bernadette was the eldest of nine children from a poverty-stricken family. She contracted cholera in
Born: Feb 15, 1820, Adams, Massachusetts, U.S.Died: March 13, 1906, Rochester, New York Susan B(rownell) Anthony was an outstanding American reformer, who led the struggle to gain the vote for women. She devoted 50 years to overcoming the nation’s resistance to woman suffrage, but died before the 19th Amendment was finally ratified.Anthony was born on