Contents BOOK I Containing an account of her life in the world, and of the most important events in the first fifteen years of her religious career, together with a brief sketch of the offices which she filled in the convent. Chapters I. The birth of Veronica. Tokens of her subsequent sanctity and high privileges apparent even in infancy. 7 II. She begins at the age of three years to enjoy familiar intercourse with Jesus and Mary. 11 III. The first proofs of extraordinary virtue which made her childhood remarkable. 16 IV. Her father removes with Ursula and her sisters to Piacenza, where at the age of ten she makes her First Communion. When twelve years old she begins to practise mental prayer. 23 V. The rich fruit which she gathered from the exercise of meditation. The first instances of opposition to her religious vocation which she had to encounter at Piacenza. 30 VI. Ursula is sent back to Mercatello, where she resides in the house of her uncle. New trials of her vocation. At length her father yields to her influence and repents, ending his life with certain marks of eternal salvation. 37 VII. Having received the desired consent of her father, Ursula procures in an extraordinary way her admission among the Capuchin nuns of Città di Castello. 43 VIII. Her clothing. Deceits of the devil during her noviciate. 47 IX. Her solemn profession. Her virtue is strengthened, notwithstanding the assaults of the devil, by special graces which she receives from God during the early years of her religious life. 56 X. The offices which she is called to fill in the convent. The manner in which she discharged her duties. 64 BOOK II Containing an account of the extraordinary graces by means of which she was raised during the last thirty-five years of her life to the highest degree of sanctity, and rendered the living image of Jesus crucified. Chapters I. Mysterious vision of a chalice, which prepared her to reproduce in her own person the Passion of our Redeemer. 80 II. Veronica is made to participate in our Blessed Saviour's crowning with thorns. The severe pains which this caused her, and her sufferings from the remedies to which her superiors required her to submit. 87 III. She is promoted to heavenly espousals. The manner in which our Lord prepared and conducted them. 94 IV. The gifts and favours which Jesus lavished on His spouse during the two following days. Her correspondence to them. 102 V. In obedience to a divine command she begins to fast rigorously on bread an