Angela of the Cross

Angela of the Cross (also known as Santa Ángela de la Cruz) was a Spanish nun and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Company of the Cross (Hermanas de la Compañía de la Cruz), a religious order dedicated to serving the poor and marginalized. Her life was marked by deep spirituality and devotion to the poor, particularly the sick and the elderly.

• Angela was born Ángela de la Cruz on January 30, 1846, in Seville, Spain. She came from a poor family and experienced hardship from an early age, which helped to shape her commitment to a life of service and compassion.
• She was the youngest of four children, and after the death of her parents, Angela was left to care for her siblings.
• Angela entered the Convent of the Sisters of Charity at the age of 19. She was drawn to a religious life focused on charity, but it was her deep prayer life and service to the poor that distinguished her path.
• She faced significant difficulties in her early religious life, including opposition from some members of the Church due to her untraditional approach to spirituality and service. However, Angela was steadfast in her calling.
• In 1875, she founded the Sisters of the Company of the Cross, an order that focused on serving the sick, poor, and marginalized. The order’s mission was to help those most in need, without distinction of race, social status, or religion.ngela’s spirituality emphasized humility, simplicity, and total dedication to the service of others. She believed deeply in serving the poor and suffering, believing that service to the least in society was a direct path to God.

• The order she founded quickly grew, with many women joining to carry out her mission. Angela lived in poverty herself, devoting all her resources to helping the sick and elderly, both spiritually and materially.
• She was deeply influenced by the teachings of Saint Teresa of Ávila and Saint John of the Cross, with a profound focus on prayer and contemplation.
• Angela lived a life of prayer and service until her death on March 2, 1932, at the age of 86.
• She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 5, 1982, and later canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II on May 4, 2003.

Angela of the Cross is remembered for her deep faith, commitment to service, and the religious order she founded, which continues to thrive and provide care for the most vulnerable in society. She is particularly celebrated in Seville, where she spent much of her life.

Her feast day is celebrated on March 2, the anniversary of her death.