The Diocese of Winona-Rochester recently concluded a novena to St. Gianna Molla, patron saint of mothers, unborn babies and physicians.

“Today we pray for all mothers. St. Gianna Molla, pray for us!” the diocese posted online. 

St. Gianna Beretta Molla was born in Italy in 1922, according to Vatican News. As a young child, she was deeply faithful and drawn to God. After reaching adulthood, she dedicated herself to studying and apostolic service, the outlet said.

She earned a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Pavia in 1949 and opened a medical center. After earning a specialization in pediatrics from the University of Milan, St. Gianna turned her focus to caring for mothers, babies, elderly people and the poor. 

Gianna married Pietro Molla in 1955, Franciscan Media said. Before their wedding, Gianna wrote him a letter in which she discussed the importance of love. "Love is the most beautiful sentiment that the Lord has put into the soul of men and women,” she wrote. 

Franciscan Media says Gianna and Pietro had three children, then Gianna experienced two miscarriages. She became pregnant again, and doctors discovered that she had a tumor in her uterus. She allowed doctors to remove the tumor but would not allow them to perform the recommended hysterectomy because it would have killed her baby. 

St. Gianna gave birth to a daughter, Gianna Emanuela Molla, before she passed away from post-operative complications. Gianna Emanuela went on to become a physician, like her mother.

St. Gianna is the patron saint of mothers, unborn babies and physicians. Her feast day is celebrated on April 28, according to catholic.org. 

The diocese prayed a novena, which gets its name from the Latin word for “nine” and refers to saying a prayer for nine consecutive days, Blessed Is She explains. The number nine is significant as it could represent the nine months that Mary was pregnant with Jesus, or it could refer to when the Apostles and Mary prayed for the nine days between Jesus’s Ascension into Heaven and Pentecost.