Elena Guerra
| Blessed Elena Guerra | |
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| Nun | |
| Born |
23 June 1835 Lucca, Duchy of Lucca |
| Died | 11 April 1914 (aged 78) Lucca, Kingdom of Italy |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 26 April 1959, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope John XXIII |
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| Attributes |
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Blessed Elena Guerra (23 June 1835 – 11 April 1914) was an Italian Roman Catholic nun who established the Oblates of the Holy Spirit. She dedicated her life to the educational of girls.
She was beatified on 26 April 1959 after the recognition of a miracle attributed to her intercession. One final miracle is needed before she can be canonized.
One of six children, Elena Guerra was born on 23 June 1835 to a wealthy aristocratic family of Lucca, Italy. She studied subjects such as French, music and art. She worked with the Vincentians, and also studied Latin and the lives and the works of the Church Fathers. In 1866 she established her own congregation in order to dedicate herself to the education of girls. It was called the Society of Mary, Daughters of Saint Agnes, sometimes known as the Order of Saint Zita in honor of the patron saint of Lucca. One of her students was the future saint Gemma Galgani.
Guerra travelled to Rome in 1870 to attend a session of the First Vatican Council convened by Pope Pius IX. She corresponded with Pope Leo XIII and asked him to rekindle in the faithful devotion to the Holy Spirit. Leo XIII responded with three documents between 1895 and 1902 which were: Provida matris caritate (Apostolic Letter), Divinum illud munus (Encyclical) and a letter to the episcopate. Leo XIII renamed the order after this as a sign of his esteem.
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She died on 11 April 1914 and is buried in Lucca.
Today, the congregation that Guerra established continues its work across the world with houses not only in Italy, but in countries such as Brazil, Canada, the Philippines, Iran and Lebanon.
The beatification process commenced in Lucca on 5 May 1936 under Pope Pius XI. With the commencement of the cause, she was granted the posthumous title of Servant of God. Two local processes were held and were both ratified on 13 April 1945. Pope Pius XII approved her life of heroic virtue and proclaimed her to be Venerable on 26 June 1953.
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