VERNAZZA (VERNACIA), BATTISTA, venerable. — Mystic, born in April 1497 in Genoa, died there on 9 May 1587, daughter of Ettore (c. 1470–1524), notary and humanist, indefatigable promoter, in Genoa and elsewhere, of charitable and apostolic works, founder of the hospital of the Incurables (1512), of the companies of the Mandiletto (1497) and of Jesus and Mary, of the fraternity of Divine Love, and of the monastery of S. Giuseppe.
At the age of thirteen she entered the Lateran Canonesses Regular, in the monastery of S. Maria delle Grazie. She was
abbess several times and displayed great activity, especially as a spiritual directress and mystical writer. A disciple, also through her paternal tradition, of s. Caterina da Genova, who had been her godmother, she had assimilated her doctrine of pure love. Moved by this flame, she wrote, with astonishing competence, on the most difficult theological problems. She was always afraid of being mistaken, and only out of obedience did she consent to the publication of her voluminous writings. She was held in high esteem by the most eminent persons of her time; Fr. ARIA (v.) called her the miracle of her century. The cause of beatification was introduced in 1639.
The works of V. were printed in 5 editions; the most important are two: Opere Spirituali della vergine di Christo donna Battista da Genova (3 vols., Venice 1588), completed by a fourth volume (Verona 1602); the other (6 vols., Genoa 1755) is enriched with a highly informative preface and notes. The edition of 1588 (first part), prepared by D. Gaspare da Piacenza, contains useful notices and many letters of V.; particularly important is the one written to s. Andrea Avellino, who had asked V. whether or not he should continue his apostolic activity.
V.’s doctrine is not set out systematically. Its central idea is the union of the soul with God; referring back to this, V. theology, especially in the treatise on the Pater noster.