Elisabetta Sanna Porcu

Elisabetta Sanna, T.O.S.F., (full name Elisabetta Sanna Porcu) (23 April 1788 – 17 February 1857) was an Italian Roman Catholic from Codrongianos Province of Sassari who was an active member of both the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Union of the Catholic Apostolate. In the latter she was a friend and compatriot of Vincent Pallotti. As a result of smallpox, Sanna was for the most part disabled and further ailments prevented her from returning to her hometown after departing on a pilgrimage; this forced her to take up residence in Rome where she later died.

Sanna married and bore seven children but was widowed after almost two decades of marriage.

Pope Francis proclaimed her to be Venerable in 2014 after determining that she lived a model Christian life of heroic virtue. The pope approved the miracle attributed to her in 2016 which allowed for her beatification to occur. Cardinal Angelo Amato – on the behalf of the pope – presided over the beatification on 17 September 2016.

Life Sanna was born on 23 April 1788 as the second of five children to poor farmers of harsh economic conditions; a brother was Antonio Luigi. At three months old she contracted smallpox and as a result was never able to again raise her arms. She was able to move her fingers and wrists but could neither bring food to her mouth nor make the sign of the Cross, amongst other things. Not long after, she received her First Communion and her first reconciliation. Each week Sanna attended sessions that her father's cousin Luigi Sanna held in which she learned the basics of the catechism; she encouraged others to follow suit. On one particular occasion Sanna gazed into a crucifix and heard a voice: "Take courage and love me"; she realized that she had received a personal mission to proclaim the message of the Gospel in the spirit of evangelization. Sanna's spiritual writings were approved by theologians on 24 August 1910. On 25 January 2016, it was made public that the potential dates were either 17, 18 or 25 September 2016. Cardinal Angelo Amato presided over the beatification on the pontiff's behalf.

Postulation The current postulator of the cause is Jan Korycki.