The role of family in the lives of saints is often overlooked in popular narratives but was central to their personal stories. Many saints came from influential families that played roles in their path to sanctity, either supporting or opposing their choices.

Janina Ramirez notes:

“Saints’ families could be sources of conflict or support. Some saints were disinherited for their religious convictions; others used their family’s influence to found monasteries or churches. Family dynamics were crucial.”

For example, St. Clare of Assisi was initially resisted by her family when she chose a religious life, but later became a key figure in the Franciscan movement. Similarly, St. Margaret of Scotland used her royal position to promote Christian charity.

Saints’ Daily Lives: Beyond Spirituality

What did saints’ daily lives actually look like? Janina Ramirez invites us to consider the mundane alongside the miraculous.

“Saints cooked, cleaned, prayed, worked, and socialized. They experienced illness, fatigue, and sometimes poverty. Their sanctity did not remove them from ordinary life—it often deepened their engagement with it.”

Medieval monasteries and convents, where many saints lived, were centers of community life, education, and charity. Saints like St. Benedict laid down detailed rules for daily routines combining prayer, work, and study.

By exploring these routines, we gain insight into how saints balanced their spirituality with the practicalities of everyday existence. shutdown123