Sisterhood of St. John the Baptist

At the age of sixteen she taught embroidery and singing to girls at the church of Santa Maria alla Castagna.

All the choir sisters added to their names in religion that of Baptista in honour of their model, John the Baptist.

Solimani went to Rome in 1744 and with the aid of the Barnabite Mario Maccabei obtained the approval of Pope Benedict XIV.

Two years later, on 20 April 1746, the Archbishop of Genoa received the religious profession of Giovanna Solimani and her twelve companions.

The congregation drew its members from among the young girls and widows who were admitted into their houses as lay-sisters.

The sisters rose at midnight for Matins, slept in their clothes, went bare-footed, and observed continual abstinence from meat.