Saint Margaritha Colonna was born in 1210 into a royal family in Cologne. Her parents died at a young age. Margaret was raised by her brothers. When she came of age, his older brother forced her into a glorious marriage. But Margaret wanted to lead a religious life. The younger brother provided her with the necessary assistance.
She lived with two helpers in a mountainous area near Palestine. He wanted to join the Clare monastery but the disease prevented her. Yet she lived by imitating poor Clares and adopting rough clothing and strict law enforcement. Although she could not join any of the other monasteries, on the recommendation of her younger brother, who became a priest and cardinal, with the approval of Pope Urban IV, her home was converted into a monastery. She accepted like-minded people and lived by the rules of the Church.
Leaving worldly pleasures and engaging in loneliness and penance, Margaret had to endure many trials and tribulations from her own people. She became more united with Jesus through her illness and pain. Having experienced the love of the Divine Mercy, Margaret was also blessed to share in the suffering. The visible lesion in the heart slowly developed in size and depth. After seven years of excruciating pain, Margaret was thankful for this blessing until the very last moment. Margaret was called to the Eternal Gift on 30 December 1284, in the presence of her sisters and brother.