St Bridget of Sweden (23rd July)
The first posthumous miracle of St Bridget occurred as her body lay in San Francesco, Montefalco in 1373. This led to the initiation of the process for her canonisation.
St Clare of Montefalco (17th August)
St Clare was a nun at Santa Croce, a nunnery that was later dedicated to her. She had a particular devotion to the Crucified Christ. When she died in 1308, the other nuns found there the marks of the passion in her heart. The process for her canonisation began immediately, but it was suspended in 1333 and was not completed until 1881.
St Fortunatus of Montefalco (1st June)
St Fortunatus was a priest at the church of Turrita (later Santa Maria di Turrita, south of Montefalco). When he died (according to tradition in ca. 395) he was buried in a small field. Some years later, St Severus (see below), a magister militum or military official and “civis Martanus” (citizen of Martana), built the first church on the site of this grave (later San Fortunato, Montefalco). Bishop Spes of Spoleto consecrated the church (according to tradition, on 8th August 422).
St Severus (1st February)
As noted above, St Severus was a miltary official from Martana. When he attracted the enmity of an important official in Ravenna, he was arrested and taken there in chains. The party stopped at the site of St Fortunatus’ grave, and promised St Fortunatus that, if he were acquitted, he would build a church on the spot. He was duly acquitted and returned to Montefalco to build the promised church (later San Fortunato).
