Giovanna Scopelli was a 15th-century Italian Carmelite nun from Reggio Emilia who founded her own religious community. Although she felt a religious calling from a young age, her parents initially prevented her from entering a convent. Following their deaths, she established a makeshift community that eventually grew into the convent of Santa Maria del Popolo. Known for her strict adherence to poverty, she served as the first prioress of this community, which became recognized as the White Nuns.
Life and foundation
After her parents passed away, Scopelli began living in a small house with a widow and her daughters to form a religious group. With support from Bishop Filippo Zoboli, she acquired the church of Saint Bernard in 1485 to establish a formal convent. As prioress, she practiced extreme austerity, refusing all gifts unless they were provided as unconditional alms. Her community was famously identified by their white habits.
Veneration
Following her death in 1491, her remains were found to be incorrupt during an exhumation in 1492. After a long period of local devotion, she was beatified by Pope Clement XIV in 1771. This decision was based on the continuous local veneration that had existed since her time. Her feast day is observed on July 9.