St. Francesca Romana (1384 to March 9, 1440)

   As a single woman who has vacationed in Rome, Italy three times, I can honestly say it's one of the safest places to travel alone. So, I was surprised to read an article by an ESPN public relations executive in "Marie Claire" magazine saying she was nearly raped by an artist named Marco on her last night in the Eternal City.
  First off, if anyone is stupid enough to go on a tour of an art studio of a man you've just met, have drinks with him, and then go to his apartment, you're asking for it. She should have brought along the friend that she mentions, if she was really eager to get to know Marco. That's called safety in numbers.
  It seems that many American woman travel to Italy looking for romance with the handsome, well-groomed men that abound. And Italian men sense that about our culture. The public relations executive probably realized she was about to get used, so then decided to leave Marco's apartment. She admits that she hadn't been in a relationship in two years and was hoping something would transpire.
  Speaking from experience, the culture in Rome is often that American women are loose. Believe me, there are enough attractive European women that an Italian guy isn't going to go chasing down an American for a one-night stand.
  I found the article to depict Rome in an unfair way. No place is perfect. Just make wise choices. There are many beautiful places to stay including monasteries and convents.  The Casa di Santa Francesca Romana, at Via dei Vascellari, is where St. Francesca Romana lived and died.
  She was born to a wealthy family in Rome in 1384. She wanted to be a nun and her parents married her off at age 13 to the commander of the papal troops of Rome.
  Although St. Francesca Romana wanted her husband to be Jesus Christ, she stayed happily married for 40 years. She had six children and, along with being a mother, helped the sick and poor. This was not common for a rich person to do. The good thing is, St. Francesca Romana's acts of  kindness rubbed off on other wealthy women who did the same.
  She had what is called the gift of miracles. St. Francesca Romana founded the Olivetan Oblates of  Mary, a hospital, and a convent. She died on March 9, 1440 and is the patron saint of automobile drivers and Benedictine oblates. Her feast day is March 9.