St. Catherine Benincasa, a third order Dominican, was born in Siena on March 25, 1347, and died in Rome on April 29, 1380, at the young age of 33. She was canonized by Pope Pius II, her fellow countryman, in 1461. Then, in 1970, Pope Paul VI named her Doctor of the Church together with St. Teresa, followed by St. Pope John Paul naming her Co-Patroness of Europe alongside St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) and St. Brigid. She is also a patron of Italy, with St. Francis; and patron of Rome with the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and St. Philip Neri.
