Bl. Maria Cristina of Savoy

Maria Cristina was born in Cagliari, Sardinia, in 1812, the daughter of King Victor Emmanuel I of Savoy and Maria Theresa of Habsburg, while the family was in exile. She grew up in Turin and Genoa in a devout household.

In 1832 she married Ferdinand II, King of the Two Sicilies, and became queen in Naples. She was called a mother of the poor; she cared about her people's suffering and planned bold social projects to help them.

She died in Naples in January 1836, shortly after giving birth to her first son, Francis, and was mourned by the royal family and the people of Naples. She was beatified in 2014 in the Basilica of Santa Chiara in Naples, where she is buried.

Maria Cristina of Savoy was beatified in 2014 by Pope Francis.

Beatification allows public veneration, usually in a particular region or religious family. Canonization extends it to the whole Church.