Adelina Barone, simply known as Lina, was born in Fiumefreddo Bruzzo, in the province of Cosenza in 1912. She expressed the desire to become a nun from childhood and wanted to enter the Franciscan monastery in her small town. Shortly before entering the monastery at the age of 18, she suffered serious spiritual pains during Easter week of 1930, and on Good Friday (18 April 1930) she started to sweat blood. The visible stigmata were displayed on the palms of her hands as well as on her feet, while she also bore the chest wound and the crown of thorns. Over Easter, the pains disappeared, and while the wounds remained visible, they stopped bleeding.

The phenomenon compromised her admission to the convent. The abbess, however, asked for advice from higher religious authorities. According to biographers, she was received by Pope Pius XII and he encouraged her to hide the extraordinary signs that she bore on her body. However, a file containing information on the Barone’s case is kept at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the attitude of the cardinal inquisitors certainly did not seem to be inclined to recognizing the divine nature of her graces. As there was no explicit condemnation, she was permitted to become a nun, taking the name of Dolores. After the first event of 1930, Adelina prayed to the Virgin to make the stigmata invisible. While they were hidden throughout most of the year, they would become visible during Easter week and especially on Good Fridays.

In the late 1950s, Sister Dolores lived in several residences, travelling between Rome and Naples, then settling in the Roman locality of Castellaccio. There, using donations from supporters, she opened a nursery school and a centre for the training of young girls, run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

Other mystical phenomena characterized her life. These included frequent dialogues and Marian visions, ecstasies, prophecies and healing powers. She became well known in her community especially for the latter. Every September, Dolores went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes and while travelling in the train, made graces and intercessions to the devotees.

Adelina died in Rome on 10 October 2000.

Learn more about Sister Dolores Barone [here], [here], [here] and [here].