Olivia Pietrantoni was born and baptized on March 27th, 1864, in Pozzaglia Sabina, Italy, to Francesco Pietrantoni and Caterina Costantini.

From an early age, she worked in fields and tended animals. At the age of seven, she began to work with other children who were moving sacks of stone and sand for construction of a road from Orvinio to Poggio Moiano. When she was twelve, she left for the winter months with other youngsters to work in the winter olive harvest in Tivoli.

She refused offers of marriage and, believing she had a vocation to religious life, travelled to Rome with her uncle. But she was turned away.

A few months later, the Mother General of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne-Antide Thouret communicated that Livia was expected at the Generalate. She arrived in Rome on March 23, 1886, at the age of 22. After postulancy and the novitiate, she received the name "Sister Agostina" and at that time had a premonition that she would indeed become a saint by that name.

In the course of her work, Sister Agostina found a private corner of the hospital to pray for the patients, including Joseph Romanelli, an adult male patient who harassed her with obscenities and threatening notes. Romanelli was eventually expelled from the hospital for harassing women who worked in the hospital laundry. He continued to harass Sister Agostina, sending threats that he would kill her.

On November 13, 1894, Joseph Romanelli attacked Sister Agostina and killed her. As she was dying, she was heard uttering only words of forgiveness and invocations to Mary.

On 18th April 1999 Pope John Paul II elevated to the honour of the altars and that the Italian Bishops’ Conference declared her Patron Saint of nurses in Italy on 20th May 2003.


Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini
2. Saint Arcadius and Companions
3. Saint Dalmatius of Rodez
4. Saint Devinicus
5. Saint Homobonus