MAID SERVANTS OF GOD
TERESA, CECILIA AND ANTONIA FAIOLI

Since 1989 the square of the Municipality of Fiuggi has been featuring a bronze and four panels, which have been placed on the front of the church of the Immaculate; these works of art of the sculptor Angelo Carnevari are inspired to the three sisters from “Ciociaria” (an area of the Roman country-side), who in 1741, following the popular mission, in which the preachers were the priests fr. Tommaso Struzzieri e fr. Gaetano Giannini, decided to step-forward in the faith and “ .... in their home, which was just close to the church of St. Stephen, (...) decided to make a retired, religious life; the news about that spread all around and other young ladies convened there to share their life of prayer and devotion. In such a way as the number of them was more and more growing, they opened a kind of school to teach them the basics of the catholic religion”. This is how the original sources report the beginning of their “holy venture”, destined to bring benefit first to the the young ladies of their city, and then to spread all around to other near cities and finally to other countries of the world.

The main street, named “CORSO SORELLE FAIOLI”, starts from the square, named “Trento e Trieste”, and goes uphill from there. It has been devoted to the three sisters, who were the founders of the new initiative of education and used to teach almost exclusively in buildings nearby this street, that at that time was called “via Maggiore”. This was in a small city called Anticoli di Campagna, with approximately one thousand inhabitants. Here they spent their life, fully consecrated to God in their humble service of providing a basic, human and religious education. This features them as pioneers in the field of education of young ladies in the eighteenth century, as protagonists, along with their students, of a unique education experience, borne from the bottom. Universally acknowledged is their astonishing education charisma, that stirred up the interest of many contemporaries on their experience, before their dedication and work were officially recognized and supported by the local Authority. Moreover some of their students turned into disciples of their religious family, which recognizes them as founders.
Our story begins from two small villages, placed on the summit of two small mountains, part of the Ernici chain, and a few miles from each other: Torre Cajetani and Anticoli di Campagna ( Fiuggi nowadays). From there took its origin a new and different story, a concrete testimony of how fruitfully life may be spent, fully complying with the duties of the daily life but at the same time rejecting selfishness and mediocrity and fully spending their own talents for others, while bringing out the full potential of their students. This is what Teresa, Cecilia and Antonia managed to do in an age in which the life of women was quite constrained by customs and prejudices, inherited from the past.

The family of their grandfather Felice moved from Torre Cajetani to Anticoli in the second half of the 17th century. At the beginning of the 18th century their fourth son Francesco married Marta Terrinoni, of Anticoli. From their marriage the three founders were borne. Apparently a very common story, not devoid of projects and decisions very often constrained by the circumstances, with the inevitable troubles of people who have to abandon the place where they spent all their life. But these constrained proved later providential: ... starting from these events, a story full of novelty will come out, a new story that involved so many other people, also nowadays.

Teresa (borne on December 11, 1715), Cecilia (borne on February 28, 1719) e Antonia (borne on June 10, 1723), when they lost their mammy, were respectively 12, 8 and 4 years old; they didn't abandon themselves to pain and sorrow but were capable of reacting through the great resources of an authentic, Christian life, which is always opened to hope, and brought fruits, at the same time stirring up the enthusiasm of the country people, the approval by the bishops, the emulation of other young ladies, who benefited from their teaching or decided to share their mission up to be called to open schools also in other Dioceses.

Notwithstanding the scarcity of documents about the first period of life of the three sisters, it is not difficult to imagine the period of learning and education spent by them in their family: from the most simple religious practices to the elementary rules of the common living and the gradual experience of collaboration in the labour of the daily life. For sure Teresa took advantage of the precious twelve years lived close to her mother and then shared its fruits with Cecilia and Antonia. It was mama Marta, who owned a land cultivated with hemp, who left to the would be Pious Teachers the loom that one day the Three Sisters will generously put at the disposal of their pupils. Mamma Marta died on October 22nd, 1727. Astonished and distressed Teresa, Cecilia, and Antonia were present along with the whole family to the funeral of their beloved mother who was buried in the church of Saint Blaise. This sorrowful experience, inscrutable and not understandable in an outlook far from faith and revelation, favored an early maturation of the sisters and a real solidarity with one another. Only Jesus dead and risen got back hope and strength to the three inconsolable girls to continue their life. Also the education they received in their family paved the way to an attitude fully responsible and concrete. It should also be mentioned the singular unity among themselves, that especially starting from the tragic experience of the death of their mammy, turned more and more into an exercise of solidarity, of generously sharing everything, of positive emulation of one another. If a few years later Teresa, Cecilia and Antonia were joined by other girls, that held them in high esteem, that means that they were able to find in the humble commitments of the daily life the occasion for a human and Christian growth. Taking water at a well or at a spring, collecting wood for the fire, enlightening and maintaining the fire, washing dresses at the fountain etc., all things of the feminine daily life of their time allowed them to grow in their faith by accepting the sacrifice of themselves in a joyful fashion in a perspective of hope and immortality.

Even the death of their father Francesco, which happened in year 1740 (in this year there was a severe famine all through the region and people were constrained to eat wild, eatable vegetables, that grew spontaneously in the countryside), refrained the young ladies to prepare themselves for the “popular mission”, which was held in their village in 1741. Moreover this tragic event caused a kind of U-turn in their life ... and a very special one: Teresa, Cecilia and Antonia felt to be called by God at the same time, to the same mission, in the same way. Following the monastic tradition they decided to retire from the world and devote themselves to prayer, in a progressive effort to join God. And the Providence provided to them a religious environment, suitable for their life stile, just under the Church of St. Stephen, just a few scores of meters away from their family home.

They then retired in the house inherited by their uncle abbot Giuseppe Antonio Rosa, to conduct a life completely devoted to God, in a Franciscan style, and were soon followed by other ladies, that joined them in their prayer. They realized soon the need to educate them in religion (catechism, piety practices etc.) and also in the works characteristic of the feminine world, to make out of them good Christian women, honest citizens and good housewives. In such a way a quasi-school was borne, very particular in its kind, since it was borne from the bottom, from a spontaneous demand from the ladies who were attracted by the model offered to them by the three sisters, that were naturally selected by them as teachers of life. After the first six years of such initiative carried out in a private way – this period shows the organization capacity and capability of the teachers and the steadfastness of the students - the house of the Faioli Sisters progressively turned into a real, public school (of course different from the other schools) by getting the necessary formal approval by the religious and civilian Authorities.

The bishop Giovanni Antonio Bacchettoni was informed about their initiative by the arch priest Domenico Girolami, who was subsequently appointed Director and Promoter of their initiative, he firstly wanted his own Stamp placed on the door of the three sisters (on July 7, 1747, he also wanted three days of feast to celebrate the event), then he gave out the edict of establishment (August 17, 1747), examined one by one the young teachers and the first internal regulations (on October 16, 1747, exam on theoretical aspects; March 17, 1749, test of the students on practical aspects) and lastly – after the approval of Benedetto XIV – he assigned to the new Initiative some resources, in order to consolidate their economical autonomy; this was absolutely necessary since the school was no cost for the students and considering the high refurbishment and maintenance costs of the new facilities, located on “via Maggiore” and that were purchased at their own expenses; with the same decree the bishop also attached to the Conservatory the very old church of S. Domenico along with its properties.

There was great participation of country-folk to the three days festivities, organized by the arch priest of Anticoli – from July 7th to July 9th 1747 – to celebrate the official acknowledgment, acceptance and support by the Bishop to the humble initiative of the three sisters: a small school, initiated in their own home, addressing the education needs of young ladies, and this was particularly necessary at that time.

On Christmas’ eve of the year 1747 an unusual procession walked along the Via Maggiore to accompany the Three Sisters with their new companions Domenica Tardioli and the young Rosa Girolami to the new seat of the school called the “Conservatory of Anticoli”. The Director in charge, Don Domenico Girolami, full of pride and gladness blessed the rooms, destined to be expanded later, that will become and remain the Mother House of the newly born Institute. All this was possible since the protagonists of our story had been putting all their properties at the service of their initiative; it should also be mentioned that for the previous six years, Teresa, Cecilia and Antonia had been financing the school activities.

On their side, through a formal deed of the notary Stefano Bizzarri, on November 8, 1749, Teresa, Cecilia and Antonia Faioli along with two out of the first followers (Domenica Tardioli e Palma Borghese), formally stated that “ they had decided to conduct a chaste life as single and to serve God in the house of the Pious Teachers ... to the benefit of all people and in particular of the ladies, who were single (i.e. spinsters), living in their small city, in order to educate them and teach to them the basics of the Christian doctrine, and the practice of piety works ..., for this very purpose they have been living for a few years in their house, ... and for the sake of their initiative, in order to allow it to consolidate,” they decided “to donate to it all their goods and resources (...)”

At the same time also the “Great Constable” Fabrizio Colonna offered his support to the Initiative, in many occasions, in order to facilitate its progress and development. In a letter dated October 8, 1748 he wrote the following to Don Girolami: “ (...) The information about the new Conservatory already reached the “Holy Congregation” and we are waiting for a letter by them. As for the seclusion relevant to the small alley, that leads to the Conservatory, we are waiting that our treasury sends to us its notice (...)”. Particularly significant as testimony from laypeople on the actual activity carried out by them and on the overall appreciation of the Conservatory is the official report of Marcello Ferraioli, ruler of Anticoli, who on May 16, 1750 wrote: “ (...) about the just founded Conservatory I can testify that it is a unique, spiritual and material opportunity for ladies, who are single, or better for all the women of that place. This is the fruit of the education activity carried out by the teachers of the Conservatory (...) “. Therefore the ruler was fully aware of the activity aiming at helping also ladies already married and with children through a continuous and systematic education program. Certainly their spiritual fecundity stemmed from radical life choices: as St. Francisco, Teresa, Cecilia and Antonia Faioli renounced for good to all their properties and to other legitimate rewards to serve only and entirely God. As Antonia will recall at the chapter of year 1781: “We retired from the world and its vanity, in order to please and to serve exclusively God.

On the other side those who want to figure out the spiritual line of the Conservatory in Articoli must not neglect what is in their First Rules: “The first target of the Conservatory and of the schools must be to live in prayer and deal with God” since “ teachers who do not have the Spirit of God are more capable of destroying schools than of building them up “. Nor can we neglect the fruits that were brought through these sound principles; the historical sources hand over to us very significant data: the family Colonna sent to their school the children of their officers, and from many places, also from Rome, spiritual directors urged young ladies to become nuns at Anticoli; this was a sign of the very good fame of the Conservatory first and of the monastery later.

Moreover after the death of the last of the Three Sisters, the Pious Teachers of Anticoli were requested by many bishops: we are informed about that by B. Caterina Troiani, who praises particularly two nuns (Anna Vincenza Manaccioni and Serafina Affinati), who were “exported” to open a school at Ferentino on the request of bishop Nicola Buschi. The two nuns founded the Monastery of St Claire of the Charity in Ferentino (Franciscan, Missionary Nuns of the Immaculate Heart of Mary), whose perspectives were later enlarged to Cairo in Egypt, in a missionary effort, by the B. Caterina Troiani. Also the young Rosa Girolami, a model of a student turned into a disciple, was given as a teacher first at Guarcino and then as teacher and vicar at Alatri in 1803 in the monastery St Claire of the Charity in Alatri, upon a request by the bishop Della Casa.

This community was at length tried, both from the conflict between their Director and his detractors: the Director was compelled to keep away from the community before winning the sue against his detractors, supported by the Bishop Domenico Monti, who took over from Bishop Bacchettoni; then in the 18 years, in which Angelica Bertoni was Superior – she was a young nun that had been ousted since she followed the advice of an adversary of don Girolami, she came back after more than ten years, when she was appointed “moderator” by the bishop Monti. She was Superior also under the following bishop Filipponi Tenderini (1766-1778) and spontaneously resigned and quit when bishop Antonini was appointed in 1779. At all they experienced almost thirty years of difficulties, poverty, humiliation ...

The virtues of the first community were carefully looked into and rigorously reported: in an official report of August 22nd 1779 to the Holy Office, just after a few days from the death of Teresa the bishop Antonini summarized the report of the Confessor that he appointed for the Community of the Conservatory: “ (...) in conscience he reported to me that he found there real wives of Jesus, carefully reared in the way of the Lord, fully vigilant (...) and striving to love him, to serve him, to glorify him, aiming with great commitment at perfection in a effort of a continuous improvement “ and he added “ at the occasion of the pastoral visit a few months afterward, I made careful personal investigation about them, and verified their full coherence to their call”

Then, with the support of the Arch priest Domenico Girolami – personal friend of St. Paul of the Cross, and that wrote in 1780 their “First Rules” - the Faioli sisters gave life to an autonomous foundation, but inspired by the work of human promotion carried out for decades by the “Pious Teachers” of St. Lucia Filippini and B. Rosa Venerini, and by the “ Cistercian Sisters of the Charity in Anagni”, whose founder was the Servant of God Claudia De Angelis. They wore the habit of the Pious Teachers almost all their life long, up to when the first ten decided to wear the habit of St. Claire (August 23, 1781, at this time Teresa had already passed away) and the subsequent approval of the new Rules, written by the bishop Cirillo Antonini. The institutional change was completed on June 4, 1786, when the Bishop Antonini allowed them the vow of chastity and the Pious Teachers became nuns in all respects. This was the conclusion of an itinerary, which was not without difficulties and sacrifices, borne in silence and with always new strength.

Great must have been the pain and embarrassment of the community when its very “Mother Superior” Angelica Bertoni, presented to the new Bishop Cirillo Antonini her resignation letter, this Bishop had a good attitude toward the community of the “Conservatorio”. And it is very significant to see that in this situation demanding a wise choice, the sisters as one, chose Antonia, one of the Founders. So, as a sign of the Providence, it was up to her to deal with the bishop about the evolution of the Conservatory into a Franciscan, religious family, and to get the full approval of her Community to this new target. The institutional change was completed on June 4th 1786, when the bishop Antonini admitted the first thirteen of them to the vow, that turned the Pious Teachers into a religious community at all effects. This was made official by the deed of the bishop, but the style of their whole life was already conformable to a full consecration.

In the last period of the life of the three sisters, that does coincide with the consolidation of their Community, there were so many interventions of Antonia (now called Sister M. Gertrude), in order to promote the adjustment and final settlement of their rules, and also interventions of Cecilia (now Sister M. Teresa) to have the church of St. Domenico properly restored. These were signs of their proactive attitude and of the moral authority unanimously recognized to them by their first Community (this is why Antonia had been unanimously elected by their Community in a very delicate period), while Cecilia at the Chapter of May 26th, 1788 has been recognized as “one of the wisest elder sister”. The silence that surrounds their persons is not to be construed in a negative sense, but rather as a sign of virtue of persons capable of speaking and of remaining silent, endowed with a charm for their contemporaries, for educating the younger ones, with the strength not to give in to difficulties, with the humility of those who are able to obey and to rule at the same time. The various versions of the booklet “Short report about the origins”, written by the Community, as one of their official books, maintain that the Faioli sisters have been the first to initiate their experience and that they have been emulated by other ladies, who were hosted in their own house and finally such an experience naturally turned into a kind of school. More than one hundred years later, the tradition about the beginning, is confirmed by the “questions and answers” that they were requested to compile to comply with the requirements of the Italian State in order to get the formal acknowledgment of public school and ... at the beginning of the third millennium that school with humble origins is still there.

As for for the personal characteristics of the three Sisters, “ who exerted all their life long the Christian virtues “ we can find very interesting passages in the “obituary of the three sisters”, which depicts Teresa (dead on July 14, 1779) in these terms “ ... particularly she used to be in love of the neighbors, in serving them humbly and in silence “; Cecilia (dead on December 13, 1789) “ ... particularly she was full of wisdom and attended to prayer “ ; Antonia (dead on January 21, 1793) “ she was ready and strong in the service of the Lord, exerting all the virtues and particularly she loved chastity and purity in words and deeds “. To these three sisters the Municipality dedicated the street in the center of the city named “via Maggiore”, while their charisma and mission have been inherited by their religious family, that today are promoting historical researches aiming at reconstructing the “image” of the three founders.

The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Claire, founded by them, became at last an organization under the papal right with the decretum laudis of Pope Pio XII in 1957 and afterward also the word “Immaculate” was added to the congregation name. This witnesses the profound devotion for the Virgin Mary, extensively practiced at that time in their land, and that inspired both the origin and the history of the religious family. The church of the Immaculate shows this profound devotion for the Virgin: the church, which is inside the complex of the mother house, was formerly dedicated to St. Domenico from Cucullo and it was renamed after the Immaculate around year 1800.

Today, the nuns belonging to their family have created subsidiaries in four continents. In their houses still lives the charisma and the mission, which originally inspired and animated the three sisters: they, as three fertile pieces of grounds, received and nurtured the seed of the word of God in their heart. In this way the three Mothers carry on also today their work aiming at an integral human promotion, receiving collaboration and spiritual and material support also by laypeople, who cooperate with their congregation. It is not rare that students, who completed their education in their schools, love to come back and visit the places where they were educated, to experience again the simple and humble religiosity, they were reared at, and which characterizes the congregation.

The Institute, in consideration of the fame of saintliness of the three Sisters, which progressively spread around, requested a canonization case in 1987. The diocesan phase was completed on July 1, 1990, but further historical researches were carried out, in order to comprehend in a better way their life, their virtues and the fame of saintliness of the three Sisters, servants of God. Their bodies along with those of the first nuns are buried in the church of the Immaculate in Fiuggi ( which is also named St. Claire Church, on the square of the Municipality). It is the destination of many visitors, who love to pray there, but also to leave written requests or thanksgiving to report about received graces.

Every canonization case carries along a message of an exemplary and model life, which does constitute the so called “interest of the Church” for the canonization case itself. Three canonization cases at the same time is really something special, this brings on some unique features, as far as the virtue of the Christian hope is concerned: the exemplary life of Teresa, Cecilia and Antonia Faioli is an invitation to overlook the difficulties and sometime dramatic events of our life (as the three sisters experienced, when they were just little girls, at the premature death of their mummy Marta) and to look at our future with confidence in God and without any form of discouragement and fear. In the reports about their life it is well featured the central message of the Gospel: the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus announces the overcoming of the the limit represented by the death itself and the donation to men of a new horizon and perspective of sense for our life: what was meaningless and senseless now becomes meaningful and full of sense. At the same time the faith offers the rationals and the stimulus to our specific daily commitments: love overcomes personal selfish interests and open us to the neighbor, to the poor, to people in need. Nothing may refrain love, and this is what we were taught by the Faioli sisters, who offered to us an exemplary model also to the today women, they invite them to fully implement themselves, in the love of Christ and in full joy, having their eyes fixed in God.

Renato Riccioni
Postulator

(translated by Vincenzo Ciccarelli)

IMMAGINI
	anticoli di campagna		canevari
il paesaggio		la strada familiare