The Basics: Born April 12, 1760, in France; died April 16, 1794, in France; beatified February 19, 1984, by John Paul II; feast day, April 16. Martyr.
The Story: They were called “royalist fanatics,” but generally, such as in the case of Anne Maugrain, it 
appears their true crimes were continuing to worship and refusing to denounce the clergy. Anne, the daughter of a merchant, lived a bit less than 200 miles from the French Revolution’s epicenter in Paris. But by late 1793, Angers was under siege, and the revolutionaries ultimately triumphed, resulting in serious persecutions the following year, especially for those who refused to take the oath of liberty or equality. On the day Anne was martyred, a total of 99 people, including 80 laywomen, were guillotined or shot in Angers. All told, an estimated 1,300 people were killed or died of illness while imprisoned in the city in 1794.
What We Can Learn from Anne: Even if we live far away from places in the world where Christians are being killed for their faith, we must be vigilant, because the battle can come to us at any time, and in any form.
To Learn More About Other Women Saints and Blesseds: Come back next week, or consider buying my book, Sisterhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration.
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