St. Juliana Falconieri-Adorer of the Holy Eucharist

 

One of the most pure and holy souls which flourished in the garden of the Church in the 13th century was without a doubt St. Juliana Falconieri, the illustrious foundress of the Third Order of the Servants of Mary.

She was born in Florence, Italy in the 12th century and was the niece of St. Alexis Falconieri, one of the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order.  From early childhood, she gave herself to the practice of penance, joined with a tender devotion to the Passion of Jesus and the Sorrows of Mary, and this devotion led her instinctively to love ever more and more and venerate in a special manner the August Sacrament of the Altar.

An incident which happened in the last moments of her life shows very clearly what wonderful progress she had made in this beautiful devotion.  As her end was approaching, St. Juliana was most anxious to receive the Blessed Eucharist as Viaticum.

Unfortunately, the miserable state of her stomach did not allow her to retain even the slightest food.  Seeing herself deprived of the consolation of receiving sacramentally her sweet Savior, she entreated the priest to at least to condescend to place the consecrated Host upon her heart.

Her prayer was granted, and lo! hardly had the Sacred Particle touched her breast, than it disappeared, leaving its imprint upon her virginal flesh.  Thus was verified in her case the words of the Canticle: "Put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm; because love is strong as death."