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Saint Bona of Pisa

May the 29th  is the Feast day of Saint Bona of Pisa and you may wonder why it is that her day is being mentioned here - she is the Patron Saint of Pisa, guides, couriers, flight attendants and, importantly to us, Pilgrims.


She was canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII and lived in the 12th century from 1156-1207.




Santa Bona - Giovanni Lorenzetti" by Giovanni Lorenzetti - http://www.giovannilorenzetti-f.com/. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Santa_Bona_-_Giovanni_Lorenzetti.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Santa_Bona_-_Giovanni_Lorenzetti.jpg  - she is shown holding a Scallop shell to symbolize her devotion to Saint James and to shoe that she is the Patron Saint of Pilgrims





She was reported to have experienced visions from an early age and once saw a vision of Jesus, Mary and three Saints including James but was frightened by the light around them and ran away but James pursued her and led her back to the image of Jesus. After this she was devoted to Saint James and was dedicated as an Augustinian tertiary at the age of ten and regularly fasted, eating only bread and water three days a week.


She always wanted to travel and so at 14 she travelled to see her Father who was on Crusade near Jerusalem (according to some sources she was the daughter of a single mother who told her children that their father was on Crusade and Bona had a vision that led her to her Father).


On her way home she was captured by Muslim pirates and was imprisoned but was rescued and returned home.


Shortly after that she led a group of Pilgrims on the 1000 mile journey to Santiago and after that was made an official pilgrim guide by the Knights of Santiago.


In all she led 10 groups of Pilgrims to Santiago becoming ill on her last trip and returning home where she died aged 51.





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