The Vatican has recently declared Luigina Sinapi, an Italian lay mystic, venerable in recognition of her heroic virtues. Born on September 8, 1916, in Itri, Italy, Sinapi led a life marked by profound spirituality, mystical experiences, and a deep devotion to Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. Her life, filled with extraordinary encounters with the divine and acts of service to others, has inspired many, including priests, bishops, and laypeople.
According to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Sinapi’s mystical experiences began at a young age. Driven by a deep love for Jesus, she claimed to have had visions of Mary, Jesus, and angels. In the mid-1920s, her mother took her to meet the renowned Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, a moment that would shape her spiritual journey. The saint, known for bearing the stigmata, guided Sinapi and maintained a close relationship with her throughout her life. As the Dicastery reports, “From that time, she maintained a close relationship with him, receiving his guidance and spiritual support throughout her life.”
At the age of 15, Sinapi felt the call to religious life and entered the Institute of the Pious Society of the Daughters of St. Paul in Rome. However, due to serious health issues, she had to leave the institute. In November 1931, after the death of her parents, Sinapi moved in with her aunt in Rome, where she supported herself by working as a domestic servant, and later at the post office and the Central Statistical Office. Despite her challenging circumstances, Sinapi’s faith remained unwavering.
Her spiritual journey took a miraculous turn in August 1935. According to the Dicastery, “On Aug. 15, 1935, the solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, she received the anointing of the sick and had a vision of Jesus and Mary, who miraculously healed her.” This healing inspired her to dedicate her life to offering her sufferings for the salvation of souls, especially priests.
Sinapi’s devotion to God was evident in her charitable actions. She spent the Second World War in her hometown, and, upon returning to Rome, lived through the hardships of the postwar period. Despite her personal challenges, she continued to serve others spiritually and materially. From 1956 to 1970, she worked at the National Institute of Geophysics as a secretary to the Venerable Servant of God Enrico Medi, all while maintaining an intense life of prayer and spiritual discipline. The Dicastery notes that she “combined her work with an intense life of prayer, animated by a profound interior spirituality and characterized by various sufferings, accompanied by numerous mystical gifts.”
Sinapi’s mystical experiences, including bilocation, discernment of spirits, and a mystical union with the Lord Jesus, were well-attested. According to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, “Sinapi’s existential journey was accompanied by numerous supernatural gifts such as precognition of events and situations, bilocation, discernment of spirits and, above all, mystical union with the Lord Jesus, lived in an atmosphere of modesty, humility, and service.”
Her deep spirituality was also reflected in her devotions to saints such as St. Francis of Assisi, St. Gemma Galgani, and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Sinapi’s commitment to the Eucharist and to Mary inspired her to help those in need, even amid her own poverty. The Dicastery explains that she “knew how to carry with extreme naturalness this burden of involuntary exceptionality, of love for God and for others, demonstrating, in the practice of virtues and in the capacity for sacrifice, total obedience to the Church and its representatives.”
One of the most remarkable aspects of Sinapi’s life was her connection to Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, who later became Pope Pius XII. In 1937, after receiving a revelation from the Virgin Mary, Sinapi predicted his election to the papacy. The Vatican website explains that at that time, “Sinapi maintained a deep spiritual bond with St. Pio of Pietrelcina and enjoyed the trust of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, the future Pope Pius XII.”
Sinapi’s later years were spent offering hospitality, listening to others, and providing spiritual consolation to anyone in need. She died on April 17, 1978, from gastric cancer, with a well-attested reputation for holiness and supernatural signs. According to the Dicastery, “She spent the last period of her life at home offering hospitality, listening, offering advice and spiritual consolation to all who came to her.”
Venerable Luigina Sinapi’s life offers a powerful example of faith, charity, and devotion to the Lord. Her story reminds us of the importance of offering our sufferings for the good of others and of trusting in God’s plan for our lives, even when faced with hardship. May her life of holiness continue to inspire the Church as we pray for her eventual beatification.
