May 29 – Ember Fri of Pentecost / S Bona of Pisa

It’s the Ember Fri in Octave of Pentecost, 1st Class, with the color of Red. In this episode: the meditation: “The Holy Ghost: Healer of Souls”, today’s news from the Church: “From One Academy to Another”, a preview of this week’s episode of The SSPX Podcast: “The Making of a Bishop: Ceremony, Symbolism, and Tradition”, and today’s thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

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Saint Bona of Pisa was a remarkable medieval pilgrim whose life was spent on the roads of Europe, guiding travelers and seeking ever deeper union with God. She was born in Pisa, Italy, around the year 1156. From an early age, Bona displayed an unusual devotion to prayer and a love for the things of God. According to tradition, she experienced spiritual visions as a child and developed a strong desire to dedicate her life entirely to Christ.

When she was still young, Bona became associated with the Third Order of Saint Augustine and embraced a life of penance, prayer, and service. Unlike many saints who lived primarily in monasteries or convents, Bona’s vocation was one of pilgrimage. The great shrines of Christendom called to her, and she repeatedly undertook the long and dangerous journeys that characterized medieval religious life.

Her most famous pilgrimages were to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, where the tomb of James the Greater drew pilgrims from across Europe. The journey was arduous, involving hundreds of miles on foot, exposure to weather, illness, bandits, and countless hardships. Yet Bona made the pilgrimage numerous times, eventually becoming known not merely as a pilgrim but as a guide for other travelers. She helped organize groups, cared for the sick and weary along the road, and encouraged fellow pilgrims through prayer and example.

Bona also journeyed to Rome and, according to tradition, even traveled to the Holy Land. During one voyage, she was reportedly captured by Muslim pirates and suffered greatly before eventually being freed. Such experiences only deepened her faith and strengthened her resolve to serve God.

The Church remembers Saint Bona not primarily for extraordinary miracles, but for her perseverance and trust in divine providence. Her life reflects the Christian understanding that earthly life itself is a pilgrimage, a journey toward our heavenly homeland. Through her travels, sacrifices, and service to fellow pilgrims, she became a living reminder that the path to God often requires endurance, courage, and charity.

Because of this unique vocation, Saint Bona is honored as the patron saint of pilgrims, travelers, flight attendants, and travel guides. Her feast day on May 29 is especially meaningful for those who undertake journeys of faith, whether physical or spiritual.

In Pisa, her memory has been preserved for centuries, and modern pilgrim organizations continue to invoke her intercession. Her example reminds the faithful that every journey can become a path to holiness when undertaken with faith and trust in God.

Saint Bona of Pisa, faithful pilgrim and servant of Christ, pray for us.

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