St. Mary Frances

of the 5 wounds of Jesus

Servants of God

Anna Maria Gallo was born in Naples, 25 March, 1715, and died there, 6 October, 1791.  At her reception among the Franciscan Tertiaries of St. Peter of Alcantara, 8 September, 1731, she took the name of "Mary Frances of the Five Wounds of Jesus" out of devotion to the Blessed Virgin, St. Francis, and the Sacred Passion.

Her father, Francesco Gallo, was a severe, avaricious man with a passionate temper, and from him the saint had much to suffer. He subjected her to much ill-treatment and hard, incessant labour which often brought her to the verge of the grave. Barbara Basinsi, her mother, however, was gentle, pious, and patient in bearing with the brutal conduct of her husband. 

Before her birth St.John Joseph of the Cross, O.F.M., and St. Francis de Geronimo, S.J., are said to have predicted Mary's future sanctity.    At the age of seven she was admitted to Holy Communion, which she was subsequently in the habit of receiving daily. When Mary Frances was sixteen years old, her father sought to force her into a marriage with a rich young man, but the saint firmly refused, and instead asked leave to enter the Third Order of St. Francis. This request was at length granted her through the influence of Father Theophilus, a Friar Minor.  

Her body was signed with the STIGMATA, and on Fridays, especially the Fridays of Lent, she felt in her body the very pains of the Passion. During her whole life the saint had much to suffer from bodily ills, and to her physical suffering was added mental pain from the persecution of her father, sisters, and other persons. Even her confessors, to test her sanctity, made her suffer by the severity of their direction. But over and above these mental and physical sufferings she imposed upon herself voluntary penances.

Her prayers and advice saved many souls from dangers  Priests, religious, and pious persons went to her for light and counsel. Her charity and compassion, especially toward the afflicted and miserable, knew no bounds. Like St. Francis, Mary Frances had a tender devotion to the Infant Jesus, the Holy Eucharist, and the Blessed Virgin.    The last thirty-eight years of her life were spent together with another franciscan nun, Suor Maria Felice, in the small flat of a pious priest, Giovanni Pessiri, on the 2nd floor of an ancient building.   It contains the original furniture, as well as many pictures and objects offered as a gift from the people, to thank the Saint for her myracles.   It's possible to visit the house,  A small church was built on the ground floor and some nuns, called St.Mary Frances' Daughters, live in the same building, looking after the church   and the Saint's rooms, besides many religious and educational activities.

She was buried in the church of the Alcantarines, "Santa Lucia al Monte", at Naples, which contains the tomb of St.John Joseph of the Cross.    Until October 2001, on the occasion for her feast, her mortal remains were carried to the house where she spent most of her life.  Since 2002 her relics reside permanently in her "home-church".

She was declared Venerable by Pius VII, 18 May, 1803, beatified by Gregory XVI, 12 November, 1843, and canonized by Pius IX, 29 June, 1867.   In 1901 she was proclaimed co-patron saint of Naples.