Shrines of Italy: Church of San Sigismondo

The Church of San Sigismondo was initially erected in the 13th century, and was almost entirely rebuilt between 1725 and 1728. Very little is actually known about the history of this church, which is not surprising, considering the church is located in one of the most run-down and difficult to reach areas of the sprawling city of Bologna.

Walking through the narrow alleys of the old city felt a bit too much like the streets of Los Angeles or Chicago for my taste. If you’re like me, there’s only one reason why you would make the trek all the way out here; and that is because the Church San Sigismondo is final resting place for the incorrupt body of Blessed Imelda Lamertini.

The young saint was born in 1322 in Bologna to a pair of devout Catholic parents. From her earliest years, she displayed signs of great sanctity, and on her fifth birthday, she requested that she be allowed to receive the Eucharist. She was denied this request however, as the custom at the time was that children did not receive their First Communion until the age of 14.

At age nine, her parents allowed her to live with a group of Dominican nuns residing in Bologna at that time. During the next two years of her life in the cloister, the reception of Communion became her one and only desire. It is recorded that upon witnessing the nuns receive the Eucharist themselves, Blessed Imelda once remarked that she was genuinely confused how anyone could receive the Eucharist and not die of pure joy.

She made several requests to be allowed to receive along with her community, but was denied time on the basis of her age and the customs of the time.

However one day, a miraculous event occurred in which the resident priest witnessed a supernatural light emanating from the Blessed Sacrament and falling directly upon the young saint, who knelt quietly in prayer. The priest took this as a sign that it was Our Lord’s wish to be united to Imelda in Holy Communion, and so administered the sacrament to her at the age of 11.

Upon her reception of the Eucharist, Imelda was left alone in the church to meditate for some time. When the nuns returned, they found her motionless on her knees with a smile on her face. One of the nuns tapped her shoulder, at which point her body collapsed to the floor, lifeless and still smiling.

Thus, Blessed Imelda became known as the child saint who died of pure joy upon receiving her First Communion. She was beatified in 1826 by Pope Leo XIII, and is invoked by the local community as the patron of First Communicants.

It’s a shame that her story is not more widely known. In an age where belief in Eucharist is practically nonexistent, the testimony of Blessed Imelda is a much needed reminder of precisely what, and more accurately Who the Eucharist actually is.