VILLANI, MARIA, venerable. – Dominican religious, born in Naples on 18 September 1584 to Giovanni, marquis of Polla, and died there on 26 March 1670.
From her earliest youth she practised mental prayer and enjoyed experiences of sublime contemplation. At the age of 14, on 7 October 1598, she entered the monastery of S. Giovanni in Naples, taking the name Sister Maria. In religious life she found an excellent spiritual master in the servant of God Fr. Giov. Leonardo di Lettere and in 1637, through a special inspiration from God, founded the monastery of S. Maria del Divino Amore, where she died. Her cause of beatification was introduced in 1746.
BIBL.: O. M. Marchese, Vita della sen. serva di Dio M. V. (1584-70), Naples and Milan 1676. Brescia 1717; B. A. Sequino, Aggiunta alla vita della serva di Dio suor M. V., Naples 1778.