Beatrice of Silva was born in 1426 (or perhaps 1424) in Campo Mayor, Portugal, into a family of noble origins and strong Christian and Franciscan roots – her brother, Blessed Amadeu da Silva, embraced the Franciscan Order in Italy and gave rise to a branch of the Order of Reformed Friars Minor.
Very close to the royal house, Beatrice in 1447 accompanied the Infanta of Portugal as a lady-in-waiting on the occasion of her marriage to John II of Castile. Her beauty attracted many suitors, so much so that she aroused the jealousy of the Infanta Isabella who mistreated her to the point of imprisoning her for three days in a chest: Beatrice invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary, who appeared to her dressed in white and blue and invited her to found a religious order that would support the Immaculate Conception.
The young woman then decided to consecrate herself as a virgin in the monastery of San Domenico in Toledo, where for 30 years she dedicated herself exclusively to God. Later, she decided to found a new monastery and the Order of the Immaculate Conception: supported by Queen Isabella "the Catholic" of Castile (daughter of John II and Isabella of Portugal), who gave her the palace of Galiana in Toledo with the adjoining church of Santa Fe, Beatrice moved here in 1484 with twelve companions, thus starting a new monastic family, approved by Pope Innocent VIII on the 30th April 1489 with the bull "Inter Universa".
The date of her death is uncertain: some sources claim that she died on the 17th August, 1490, without ever professing her vows. Others, on the other hand, declare that she died in 1492, after having made them together with her first sisters.
Some biographies tell that, when she received Extreme Unction and the veil was removed from her face, a star appeared on her forehead, which later became one of her iconographic signs, which disappeared only when Beatrice died.
His cult soon spread throughout Spain, but the decrees of Urban VIII prevented her public veneration. Its foundation project was carried out by the Friars Minor and her disciples. Initially, they followed the Cistercian rule, but Alexander VI, with the Bull "Ex Supernae Providentia" imposed on them the Rule of St. Clare. With the Bull "Ad Statum Prosperum" of the 17th December 1511, Pope Julius II definitively approved the Order of the Immaculate Conception with a new autonomous Rule, which united Beatrice's teachings with the Franciscan norm of life.
Her fame never faded and in 1926 Pius XI officially declared her Blessed; she was canonised by Paul VI on the 3rd October, 1976.
In the homily of canonisation, it was said that "the grace of a particular devotion to the spotless Conception of the Queen of heaven was increased to her, unto whom, as soon as she knew something, she was intimately devoted."
