Saint Marcellina was born in Trier, Gaul around the year 330 as a member of a Catholic family. She was the only sister of Saint Ambrose of Milan, older sister of two brothers, and daughter to a man who resided as Praetorian prefecture of Gaul

Praetorian prefecture of Gaul

The praetorian prefecture of the Gauls was one of four large praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided.- History :...

. Marcellina received the veil of consecrated virginity to live a life of perpetual virginity and to devote herself to the practice of prayer

Prayer

Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...

 and asceticism

Asceticism

Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...

.

After living life as part of a pious family, Saint Marcellina would die roughly around 398. Honored as a saint

Saint

A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...

, her body would be buried in the crypt under the altar of the Ambrosian Basilica.

Life Mission

Saint Marcellina made the decision to dedicate her life to an attitude of piety

Piety

In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue that can mean religious devotion, spirituality, or a combination of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility.- Etymology :...

 and holy virtue

Virtue

Virtue is moral excellence. A virtue is a positive trait or quality subjectively deemed to be morally excellent and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being....

. She sought with every inch of her heart to illustrate the utmost amount of humility and respect to herself and all around her. As the eldest sister in her family, she made it a point to pass her already established virtuous traits down to her younger brothers by teaching them such principles that forbade the pursuit of self empowerment by knowledge. She implemented in them the "desire not to express their virtue, but to become truly virtuous." This life she led call for continual abstinence

Abstinence

Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to sexual abstinence, or abstention from alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions or practical...

, dedication to prayer, strict fasting, etc. This life chosen by Saint Marcellina is one of great sacrifice and can define an individual as truly humble

Humble

- Places :* Humble, Texas, USA** Humble Civic Center Arena* Humble, Denmark, a village in Sydlangeland Municipality in southern Denmark* Humble Green, a hamlet in Suffolk, England- People :* Humblus/Humble, a legendary Danish king...

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Dedications

The Institute St. Marcellina was established in 1955 in Hampstead

Hampstead

Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...

, London in honor of Marcellina herself. This institute is contained by a group called the Sisters of St. Marcellina who provide exceptional hospitality to all quests who lodge there.