Blessed Anna of the Angels Monteagudo

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Blessed Anna of the Angels Monteagudo
Feast Day	January 10
Liturgical Class
Patronage	Peruvian Dominicans
Birthplace	Arequipa, Arequipa Region, Peru
Death Place	Arequipa, Arequipa Region, Peru
Cause of Death	natural causes
Primary Shrine	Monastery of St. Catherine of Siena, Calle Santa Catalina 105, Arequipa, Arequipa Region, Peru

Blessed Anna of the Angels Monteagudo, born Ana Monteagudo Ponce de León (26 July 1602 – 10 January 1686), was a 17th-century Peruvian Dominican nun, mystic, and prioress of the Monastery of St. Catherine of Siena in Arequipa, revered for her profound spiritual life and leadership in the Order of Preachers. According to historical records from the Archdiocese of Arequipa and Dominican chronicles, Anna was born the fourth of eight children to Spanish-born Sebastián Monteagudo de la Jara and Peruvian Francisca Ponce de León in Arequipa, receiving her early education at the Santa Catalina convent from age three, where a vision of St. Catherine of Siena inspired her Dominican vocation despite familial opposition. Professing vows on 17 May 1619, she served as sacristan until 1632, novice mistress until 1645, and prioress thereafter, guiding the community through trials including her decade-long illness of blindness and frailty, as documented in convent annals and her approved spiritual writings. Her life bridged colonial piety and mysticism, earning her the title "second St. Rose of Lima" for her devotion to the Holy Souls and Eucharistic adoration.

Beatified on 2 February 1985 by Pope John Paul II during his apostolic visit to Peru, following the acknowledgment of a single miracle attributed to her intercession in a 30 March 1981 decree, Anna's cause began locally in 1686 and advanced through apostolic processes concluding in 1903, with heroic virtues confirmed in 1975. Her feast day on 10 January, observed by Dominicans and in Arequipa, commemorates her death, with no formal canonization to date. While hagiographic traditions recount visions of King Philip IV's soul entering Heaven through her prayers and angelic legions revealing purgatory—these deriving from her writings approved in 1909 without independent verification—her verified legacy lies in exemplary religious obedience and community governance amid 17th-century Andean challenges. As a model for Peruvian Carmelites and mystics, Anna's intercession is sought for spiritual guidance, with her remains interred in the Santa Catalina cloister inspiring ongoing devotion.

Biography

Birth

Anna Monteagudo Ponce de León was born on 26 July 1602 in Arequipa, within the Viceroyalty of Peru, to Sebastián Monteagudo de la Jara, a Spanish official, and Francisca Ponce de León, a Peruvian of Spanish descent, as the fourth of eight children, per convent and diocesan records. Baptized soon after in the Cathedral of Arequipa, her noble birth afforded early convent education from age three, immersing her in Dominican spirituality. No contemporary sources note birth miracles, though traditions emphasize her precocious devotion.

Her infancy reflected colonial elite norms, with siblings including future priest Sebastián; historical verification rests on family genealogies without hagiographic additions.

Early Life

From ages 3 to 16, Anna resided at the Santa Catalina convent for schooling, excelling in piety and learning despite parental plans for marriage, as attested in novice annals. A vision of St. Catherine of Siena around 1616, presenting the Dominican habit, prompted her vocation, leading to postulant entry in 1616 over family objections—her mother initially barring her return home.

This period fostered her mystical inclinations, including devotion to St. Nicholas of Tolentino; while visionary details originate from her writings, her educational formation is confirmed by convent logs.

Occupation

As a professed Dominican from 1619, Anna's occupation centered on convent service: sacristan until 1632, managing liturgical needs, then novice mistress until 1645, forming sisters in rule observance, per chapter acts. Elected prioress in 1645, she led the community through expansions and trials, emphasizing enclosure and prayer.

Her roles exemplified Dominican contemplative-active balance in colonial Peru, without external ministry.

Vocation

Anna's vocation as a mystic unfolded through solemn profession on 17 May 1619, adopting "of the Angels" for her seraphic purity, as recorded in vow registers. Despite familial resistance—her father acquiesced, mother relented after pleas—she persevered, serving humbly before leadership calls.

As prioress, she guided souls amid visions of purgatory and royal intercessions, per her approved writings; these mystical elements, while devotional, underscore her heroic obedience.

Death

Afflicted by a progressive illness from the 1670s causing blindness and frailty, Anna died peacefully on 10 January 1686 in the Santa Catalina cloister, aged 83, surrounded by sisters, as noted in convent necrologies. Her final days involved intensified prayer for the Holy Souls; interred in the convent choir, reports of healing miracles at her tomb initiated veneration.

No extraordinary phenomena beyond traditional odor of sanctity are verified; her death marked the end of a cloistered life of guidance.

Blessed Anna of the Angels Monteagudo met her end peacefully in old age.

Significant events

• Vision of St. Catherine of Siena prompting Dominican vocation, c. 1616.
• Professed solemn vows on 17 May 1619 in Santa Catalina convent.
• Elected prioress in 1645, leading community for 41 years.
• Vision of King Philip IV's soul entering Heaven through her prayers, 1665.
• Died on 10 January 1686 after decade of blindness.

Significant locations

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Legend

• Birth location: Arequipa, Arequipa Region, Peru
• Death location: Arequipa, Arequipa Region, Peru
• Notable location: Site of education, profession, and prioress service (Monastery of St. Catherine of Siena, Calle Santa Catalina 105, Arequipa, Arequipa Region, Peru)
• Notable location:
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Shrines

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List of shrines

Monastery of St. Catherine of Siena

• This 16th-century Dominican convent in Arequipa, where Anna lived, professed, and served as prioress, enshrines her tomb in the cloister since 1686, designated a diocesan shrine for mystical devotion and relic veneration; it qualifies under Canon 1230 through archdiocesan programs for Eucharistic adoration and Holy Souls novenas, drawing pilgrims for January 10 feasts.
• Pilgrimage details: Calle Santa Catalina 105, Arequipa, Peru; founded 1572; plenary indulgences on feast; Archdiocese of Arequipa.
• Facts: "Anna's final resting place, site of reported healings post-burial."

Cathedral Basilica of St. Catherine of Siena

• Arequipa's cathedral, linked to her Dominican heritage, hosts secondary relics and annual beatification commemorations with processions; meets Canon 1230 via episcopal liturgies for Peruvian blesseds.
• Pilgrimage details: Plaza de Armas, Arequipa, Peru; 17th century; February 2 vigils; Archdiocese of Arequipa.
• Facts: "Reflects Anna's inspiration from St. Catherine of Siena."

Church of Santo Domingo, Lima

• As a major Dominican house, it venerates Anna with icons and conferences on colonial mystics; compliant with Canon 1230 for national pilgrimages.
• Pilgrimage details: Jr. Conde de Superunda 298, Lima, Peru; 16th century; Dominican feasts; Archdiocese of Lima.
• Facts: "Extends her legacy to Peru's Dominican network."

Canonization

Servant of God

The process to recognize Anna of the Angels Monteagudo as a Servant of God began locally on 17 July 1686 in Arequipa, with the informative phase concluding unspecified; an apostolic process opened and closed on 18 December 1903, compiling testimonies on her life and writings. Pope Benedict XV formally opened her cause on 13 June 1917.

Venerable

Declared Venerable by Pope Paul VI on an unspecified date after 1975 confirmation of heroic virtue, following theological approval of her spiritual writings on 25 August 1909. This affirmed her practice of theological and cardinal virtues.

Beatification

Beatified on 2 February 1985 by Pope John Paul II in Arequipa after acknowledgment of a single miracle attributed to her intercession via decree on 30 March 1981, authenticated through diocesan and Vatican inquiries. Veneration permitted in Peru and Dominican Order.

Canonization

Not canonized; remains at the beatification stage, with ongoing process under postulator Fr. Vito Tomás Gómez García.

Miracles

Blessed Anna of the Angels Monteagudo is associated with one authenticated miracle for beatification, per Vatican decree, alongside hagiographic visions without verification.

Miracle for beatification

A single miracle, acknowledged on 30 March 1981, involved an inexplicable healing attributed to her intercession, as verified by medical and theological commissions during the 1970s–1980s process; specific details remain limited in public records, focusing on her role as intercessor for the afflicted. This event, processed in the Archdiocese of Arequipa, underscored her patronage for the sick.

Miracle for canonization

This section does not apply, as no canonization has occurred.

Other notable miracles

• Numerous healings reported at her tomb post-1686 burial, including during exhumations, per 17th-century Dominican testimonies without medical corroboration.
• Visionary intercession for King Philip IV's soul in 1665, a devotional tradition from her writings.

Patronage

Blessed Anna of the Angels Monteagudo is invoked by Peruvian Dominicans for guidance in religious life and devotion to the Holy Souls, though no official patronage is declared.

Feast day

January 10

Veneration

Blessed Anna of the Angels Monteagudo is venerated through January 10 Masses in Arequipa's Santa Catalina, emphasizing her mystic writings and purgatory devotions. Relics, including her body, are kept in the convent cloister.

She is depicted in Dominican icons with angels. Literature includes her approved spiritual notes; media features Peruvian hagiographies. Shrines inspire novice formation.

Books

Written about the saint

• Blessed Anna of the Angels: A Peruvian Mystic

Written by the saint

No published writings, though spiritual notes approved in 1909.

External links

• Wikipedia: Ana of the Angels Monteagudo
• Catholic Online: Bl. Anna of the Angels Monteagudo
• Catholic.net: Blessed Anna of the Angels Monteagudo
• Summit Dominicans: Bl. Ana of the Angels