Saint Crescentia with Dove and Cross Religious Concrete Statues; The life of St. Crescentia
On October 20, 1682 Anna was born as the sixth of eight children to Lucia and Mathias Höß in the house Neue Gasse 15. Five of them died in infancy.
Together with her sister Maria, Anna receives confirmation in 1685. She proves to be a friendly, diligent and talented child at home and at school.
In June 1703, Anna enters the Franciscan convent in Kaufbeuren and receives the religious name Maria Crescentia (= the growing one). The superior considers the weaver's daughter a freeloader, since she does not bring a dowry. Crescentia is strongly mobbed. At no time, however, can she be proven to have done anything wrong, and the convent decides to admit her.
On June 18, 1704, Crescentia takes the monastic vows of obedience, poverty, and celibacy for life. She works in the kitchen and at the loom.
A new superior finally appreciates the young sister appropriately and repeatedly calls on her as an advisor.
In 1710 Crescentia takes over the service at the convent gate and with the sick fellow sisters. Because of her visions and intuitions, she is temporarily suspected of being a witch and has to endure discriminating tests of obedience. Here, too, she shows great inner strength.
Crescentia becomes novice mistress in 1717. For the numerous needy people outside the monastery gates, however, she continues to be a motherly contact person.
The prince abbot of Kempten, Rupert II von Bodmann, consults Sister Crescentia in 1722 as advisor in a profound dispute of his abbey.
The painter Ruffini of Munich paints a vision of the Holy Spirit in human form in 1728 according to Crescentia's instructions.
Electress Amalia of Munich and later Elector Clemens August of Cologne visit Crescentia in 1731 and find in her an understanding but also challenging pastor. Through visits and by mail, connections with her are maintained.
In June 1741, Crescentia is unanimously elected superior by the sisters. With a warm affection for the community, as a lover of musical and visual arts, and as a wise leader, she decisively shaped her convent in only three years.
On April 5, 1744, an Easter Sunday, Crescentia died after a long and painful illness and from exhaustion in her service to the people. From that year until today, the stream of pilgrims to her tomb does not cease.
The process of beatification is opened in 1775, but it is postponed again and again because of secularization and various war turmoils.
Pope Leo XIII declared Sister Maria Crescentia blessed on October 7, 1900.
On October 20, 1682 Anna was born as the sixth of eight children to Lucia and Mathias Höß in the house Neue Gasse 15. Five of them died in infancy.
Together with her sister Maria, Anna receives confirmation in 1685. She proves to be a friendly, diligent and talented child at home and at school.
In June 1703, Anna enters the Franciscan convent in Kaufbeuren and receives the religious name Maria Crescentia (= the growing one). The superior considers the weaver's daughter a freeloader, since she does not bring a dowry. Crescentia is strongly mobbed. At no time, however, can she be proven to have done anything wrong, and the convent decides to admit her.
On June 18, 1704, Crescentia takes the monastic vows of obedience, poverty, and celibacy for life. She works in the kitchen and at the loom.
A new superior finally appreciates the young sister appropriately and repeatedly calls on her as an advisor.
In 1710 Crescentia takes over the service at the convent gate and with the sick fellow sisters. Because of her visions and intuitions, she is temporarily suspected of being a witch and has to endure discriminating tests of obedience. Here, too, she shows great inner strength.
Crescentia becomes novice mistress in 1717. For the numerous needy people outside the monastery gates, however, she continues to be a motherly contact person.
The prince abbot of Kempten, Rupert II von Bodmann, consults Sister Crescentia in 1722 as advisor in a profound dispute of his abbey.
The painter Ruffini of Munich paints a vision of the Holy Spirit in human form in 1728 according to Crescentia's instructions.
Electress Amalia of Munich and later Elector Clemens August of Cologne visit Crescentia in 1731 and find in her an understanding but also challenging pastor. Through visits and by mail, connections with her are maintained.
In June 1741, Crescentia is unanimously elected superior by the sisters. With a warm affection for the community, as a lover of musical and visual arts, and as a wise leader, she decisively shaped her convent in only three years.
On April 5, 1744, an Easter Sunday, Crescentia died after a long and painful illness and from exhaustion in her service to the people. From that year until today, the stream of pilgrims to her tomb does not cease.
The process of beatification is opened in 1775, but it is postponed again and again because of secularization and various war turmoils.
Pope Leo XIII declared Sister Maria Crescentia blessed on October 7, 1900.
