BUGNI, CLARA. – Mystic, born in Venice on 4 October 1471, died on 17 September 1514.
She received the name Bianca at baptism. She joined the Franciscan Tertiary Sisters who devoted themselves to caring for the sick in the hospital of Santo Sepolcro, and there received the name C. She was often rapt in ecstasy. She was persecuted by beatings and demonic apparitions. In 1504 she was elected superior of the monastery. She experienced great charismatic manifestations and bore the stigmata. She is honored with the title of blessed by Benigno Frenault, De vitis Sanctorum Ord. s. Franc., 17 September.
BIBL.: Wadding, Annales, XV, pp. 541–548, nos. XII–XXX, recounts her remarkable life, but does not honor her with the title of blessed; the Acta SS. Septembris, V, Antwerp 1755, pp. 465f, 466n, assert that there exists no «certa publici cultus indicis»; he is also discussed by B. Mazzara: Leggendario Francescano, IX, Venice 1722, pp. 240b, 247n. Umile Bonzi da Genova