Born: 1332
Died: 1361
Nationality: Italian
Vocation: wife, lay Dominican
Attributes: Dominican habit
Beatification: 1824 by Pope Leo XII
Born in Florence, Villana was a pious girl who ran away from home at the age of 13 to join a convent. She returned home after being rejected, and her family arranged a marriage for her with a man named Rosso di Piero.
Affected by her rejection and subsequent marriage, she became very worldly and slothful, seeking only pleasure out of life. One day as she was dressing, she saw her reflection in the mirror change to a demon, illustrating to her the state of her sinful soul. She immediately had a conversion of heart and ran to the Dominican friars to seek their help.
She became a Third-Order Dominican and focused on living her vocation to marriage well, spending her free time praying and reading Scripture. She experienced ecstasies at Mass, which caused her to be subjected to much ridicule. Despite the slander, she became widely known as a very holy person.
At the age of 30, Villana died of natural causes. Her body was given to the care of the Dominicans, who were unable to bury her for a month due to the constant stream of mourners.
Bl. Villana de’Botti, pray for us.