BRIGIDA of JESUS. — Born Morello, founder of the Ursulines of Piacenza, born at Pagana, near Rallo, on 17 June 1610, died on 3 September 1679. Married to Matteo Zingani, she moved to Tabiano (Reggio Emilia); after her husband’s death on 11 November 1637, she took a vow of perpetual chastity and in 1645–49 founded in Piacenza a house of Ursulines, modeled on the one that had been established the previous year in Parma for the education of young girls. She was endowed with extraordinary charisms; her precious teachings on spiritual life were collected in the *Documenti* left to her spiritual daughters by Mother B. of Jesus, founder of the college of St Ursula in Piacenza (Turin 1876). The cause has not yet been officially introduced, but on 14 November 1934 a decree was issued approving her writings.
BRIGIDA DI GESÙ
BIBL.: *Vita della madre B. di G.*, written by her confessor Fr Morandi (ms. in the archive of the Ursulines in Piacenza); I. Bianchedi, *Vita della madre B. di G., fondatrice delle Dame Orsoline di Piacenza*, Piacenza 1925; ed. without notes, Isola del Liri 1935.