20th century
Feast: February 26
Italian nun who served as a nurse during World War I with heroic dedication to the sick.
Maria Bertilla Boscardin was an Italian nun who served as a nurse (1888-1922). During World War I, she cared for wounded soldiers and civilians with extraordinary compassion. Despite poor health, she worked tirelessly in hospitals. Known for her gentleness with difficult patients and her deep spirituality. She died young at 34 from a tumor. Canonized in 1961.