Page "Catherine of Siena" Paragraph 2

Caterina Benincasa was born in Siena, Italy, to Giacomo di Benincasa, a cloth dyer who ran his enterprise with the help of his sons, and Lapa Piagenti, possibly the daughter of a local poet.

The house where Catherine grew up is still in existence.

Born in 1347, she arrived when the black death struck the area ; Siena was badly ravaged.

Lapa was about forty years old when she prematurely gave birth to twin daughters, Catherine and Giovanna.

Lapa had already had 22 children, but half of them had died.

Giovanna was handed over to a wet-nurse, and presently died, whereas Catherine was nursed by her mother, and developed into a healthy child.

She was two years old when Lapa had her 25th child, another daughter named Giovanna.

Catherine had her first vision of Christ when she was age five or six, saying that Jesus smiled at her, blessed her, and left her in ecstasy.

At age seven she vowed chastity.