Seven months later, Gianna checked into the hospital in Monza on April 20, 1962 (Friday of Holy Week).  The next morning (Holy Saturday, Gianna gave birth to her daughter, Gianna Emanuela. Gianna Emanuela was born by Caesarean Section on April 21, 1962 (Holy Saturday).  But just a few short hours later, because of a septic infection, a rising fever and severe abdominal pains set in.  It was a slow agony, made infinitely more painful by having to leave the new baby and by the sufferings of her relatives and Pietro.  

On Wednesday morning, Gianna asked to return to Ponte Nuovo to die with her love one's at her side, in the house that had safeguarded the sacrament of love.  At dawn, on April 28, 1962, she was taken home and with repeated exclamations of “Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you,”, she breathed her last at 8 a.m., probably having heard the voices of her children who were just waking up.  

Canonization Steps in the Catholic Faith
There are four steps to canonization—namely, Step #1). A person, whose cause for canonization, has been officially advanced by the Church is called a “Servant of God.” Step #2). If the person is determined to have died, while living a life of “heroic virtue”, they are declared “Venerable.” Step #3). Afterwards, if a miracle is authenticated by their intercession with Our Lord, they are beatified and called, “Blessed.” Step #4). After another miracle, by their intercession with Our Lord, is authenticated, they are canonized and called, “Saint.”

The two miracles authenticated for Saint Gianna’s canonization are as follows:

On October 21, 1977, the first event involved a twenty-seven-year-old Protestant woman, Lucia Sylvia Cirilo, in Grajau, Brazil, who developed a recto-vaginal fistula approximately two weeks after she gave birth to a stillborn baby by Caesarean section. While she was being prepared for transfer to another facility, a Capuchin religious sister turned to Gianna Beretta Molla asking, through her intercession, that the patient be healed of the illness and thereby avoid the dangerous trip. About this time, the pain disappeared completely and, upon examination, the fistula had completely healed. Gianna Beretta Molla had been beatified on April 24, 1994.

On May 22, 1992, following years of investigation and verification by medical experts and theologians, the cure was officially recognized by the Special Congress of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints as a third-degree miracle--that is, an instantaneous, complete, and lasting cure unexplained by medical science. Lucia Sylvia Cirilo attended Gianna’s beatification on April 24, 1994.

In mid-November, 1999, the second case involved a thirty-five-year-old Brazilian woman, Elizabeth Comparini Arcolino, who, during her fourth pregnancy, suffered through many complications, including a large retroplacental clot and a detached placenta. Later rupture of the amniotic membrane was confirmed. The patient was advised to abort the baby, but with the advice of her bishop, she turned instead in prayer to “Blessed” Gianna Beretta Molla. She was monitored closely, and the baby was delivered by Caesarian section. The mother suffered more complications, but ultimately recovered. The clinical aspects of retrovaginal fistulas, subchorionic hemorrhage, and pre-term premature rupture of the membranes at sixteen weeks are reviewed. While Elizbeth was being administered the Anointment of the Sick, Bishop Silva returned and brought with him a biography of Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla. The bishop told Elizabeth, “Do what Blessed Gianna did, and, if necessary, give your life for the child. I was praying at home, and I said to the Blessed in prayer: “Now has arrived the opportunity for you to be canonized. Intercede before the Lord for the grace of a miracle and save the life of this little child.”

The entire town prayed to Blessed Gianna for her intercession to save the child and the Elizabeth. On May 31, 2000, Elizabeth gave birth by Caesarean Section to a daughter, whom Elizabeth named, Gianna Maria, after her celestial intercessor. The baby was healthy except for a twisted left foot, which was later successfully corrected with an operation and physical therapy. The defect probably occurred during the compression within the uterus. Elizabeth did have serious complications. As a consequence, Elizabeth developed a severe hemorrhage and shock, losing more than 75 percent of her blood volume. She developed hypovolemic shock late in the day; she suffered acute renal failure (her kidneys shut down); her lungs collapsed; and she lapsed into a coma. Finally, after transfusion of four units of blood and two units of fresh frozen plasma (difficult to obtain as she had a rare blood type) and three days in the intensive care unit, she recovered.

Elizabeth’s obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr. Nadia Vieitez de Almeida, stated, “Contradicting all logic and science, this pregnancy continued without infection, without premature labor, and without any fetal anomalies. The destiny is that God sent us Gianna, who today is the pride of us all.” After the authentication of this miracle, Saint Gianna was the last saint to be canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 16, 2004.

Information provided by The Approved Miracles of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, Wife, Mother, and Physician by Thomas J. McKenna and Lester Ruppersberger, D.O.