Marina gamba
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Virginia Galilei, Galileo's oldest child, was born on August 12, 1600.
At her birth Galileo personally wrote her horoscope, in which he stated her main character traits and the influxes of the planets that would determine its development.
Her zeal, sensitivity and devotion to God, all predicted by Galileo, actually did reveal themselves in Virginia's personality, as can be seen in the 124 letters to her father that have come down to us.
Virginia Galilei entered the convent at a very young age, taking the name of Sister Maria Celeste.
From 1623 to 1634, the year of her death, Virginia kept up a steady correspondence with her father, which was a source of comfort for them both.
Galileo formed strong ties with both his daughters, but he had a special empathy with Virginia and often confided in her.
Virginia stood by her father affectionately during the dramatic events of his trial and subsequent condemnation. Her death in 1634 was a harsh blow for Galileo. He himself wrote of her: "[Virgina was] a woman of an exquisite nature and unique goodness and was very close to me. [̷
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Maria Celeste facts for kids
For the ship, see Mary Celeste.
Sister Maria Celeste (16 August 1600 – 2 April 1634), born Virginia Galilei, was a nun. She was the daughter of the scientist Galileo Galilei and Marina Gamba.
Biography
Virginia was the eldest of three siblings, with a sister Livia and a brother Vincenzio. All three were born out of wedlock, and the daughters were considered unworthy for marriage. Troubled by monetary problems, Galileo placed them in the San Matteo convent shortly after Virginia's thirteenth birthday. When she took the veil in 1616, Virginia chose her religious name, Maria Celeste, in honour of the Virgin Mary and her father's love of astronomy.
From her cloister, Maria Celeste was a source of support not only for her Poor Clares sisters, but also for her father. Maria Celeste served as San Matteo's apothecary (herself being of frail health). She sent her father herbal treatments for his maladies while additionally managing the convent's finances and staging plays inside the convent. There is evidence she prepared the manuscripts for some of Ga
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Maria Celeste (Virginia) Galilei (1600-1634)
Galileo's Daughter: Letters and Essays by Dava Sobel
Virginia, Galileo's oldest child, was born in Padua on 12 August 1600. Her mother, Marina Gamba, was Galileo's housekeeper. When Galileo moved to Florence, in 1610, he took Virginia and his other daughter, Livia (1601-1659), with him, leaving his son Vincenzio (only four years old) with his mother for a few years.
After he had settled in Florence, Galileo decided to put his two daughters in a convent for life. It took several years to make the arrangements. Not the least problem was that the girls were too young to make this important decision for themselves. Through the offices of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini, one of his admirers, Galileo obtained dispensation on this score, and in 1613 both girls were placed in the convent of San Matteo in nearby Arcetri, where the abbess was the sister of the secretary of the grand duke of Tuscany. Virginia took the veil in 1616, choosing the name of Sister Maria Celeste, and Livia followed the same course a year later,
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