Galla of Rome was a 6th-century widow from a noble Roman family, the daughter of the patrician Symmachus the Younger. After being widowed shortly after her marriage, she utilized her significant wealth to support the needy. She lived on the Vatican Hill, where she established a convent and a hospital near St. Peter's Basilica. Dedicated to serving the impoverished and the sick, she spent her remaining years in this charitable work until her death in Rome in 550.
Life and deeds
As a member of the Roman aristocracy and sister-in-law to Boethius, Galla possessed substantial resources. She chose a life of service, founding a medical facility and a religious house. Tradition suggests she performed a miracle by healing a deaf and mute child through blessed water. She devoted her life to caring for those in need, remaining at her foundation until her passing.
Veneration and legacy
Her life was recorded in the Dialogues of Gregory the Great. A miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared in her pantry, leading to the construction of the Santa Maria in Portico oratory. This site, later known as Santa Galla Antiqua, housed the icon used in processions to ward off the plague. Today, her image is displayed among the saints in St. Peter's Square.