Venerable Servant of God,
born at Siena, Italy, 29 May, 1769;
died at Rome, 9 June, 1837.
Her parents, Luigi Giannetti and Maria Masi, kept an apothecary
shop at Siena, but lost all their fortune and were obliged to go
to Rome in search of a livelihood. Anna Maria was then five years
old. Having been educated in all the domestic virtues, she was
married in course of time, 7 January, 1789, to Dominico Taigi, a
retainer of the noble family of Chigi, with whom she lived happily
for forty-eight years. Hitherto nothing extraordinary had happened
in her life. But one day while she knelt with her husband at the
Confessio in St. Peter's she felt a strong
inspiration to renounce such little vanities of the world as she
had allowed herself. She began to pay little attention to dress
and to listen to the inner voice of grace. Soon afterwards she was
received publicly in the Third Order of Trinitarians in the Church
of S. Carlo alle Quarto Fontane, and having found holy spiritual
directors, she made rapid progress in the way of perfection. All
the money she could spare she devoted to the poor and miserable,
and though not rich she was very charitable. Of the hospitals she
regularly visited, the preferred one was S. Giacomo of the
Incurables. Despite her love for the poor, she never neglected her
own family. Of her children two died young, the others grew up in
piety under the surveillance of the mother. But she never availed
herself of her connections with persons of good position to take
her children out of their humble social environment. The whole
family were wont to assemble for prayers in a small private
chapel, and here, later on, in a small private chapel, and here,
later on, Mass was celebrated by a priest who dwelt with the
family. The great virtues of Anna Maria were rewarded by
extraordinary gifts of God's grace. During many years, when
praying in her chapel she had ecstasies and frequent visions, in
which she foresaw the future.
Blessed Anna Maria Taigi spoke of a great chastisement which would
come to the world before which there would be an illumination of
the conscience of men by which suddenly everyone would see
themselves as God sees them. She indicated that this illumination
of conscience would result in the saving of many souls because
many would repent as a result of this Warning ... this miracle of
self illumination .
She exercised a peculiar influence over individuals and converted
many a sinner to God. During her life she suffered much both
corporally and spiritually, and was at times meanly calumniated.
But after death her name soon became venerated in Rome. Her body
was several times transferred, and rests finally at S. Crisogono
in Trastevere. The process of her beatification was begun in 1863,
but has not yet been finished.
G. LIVARIUS OLIGER
Transcribed by Christine J. Murray
From the Catholic
Encyclopedia, copyright © 1913 by the Encyclopedia Press, Inc.
