St. Rose of Viterbo was a virgin and preacher against the Ghibellines. She was Born in Viterbo, Italy in 1234 to poor parents. She received a vision of the Virgin Mary at the age of eight and displayed profound spiritual gifts. Within a short time, she took to preaching in the streets in support of the pope against the Ghibellines (the anti-papal party that supported the cause of the Holy Roman Emperors in Italy), calling upon the Guelphs (the pro-papal party) to expel the enemies of the Holy See from the city. When the Ghibellines conspired to murder her, the podesta (chief ruler) of Viterbo had her exiled to save her life. After going to Soriano in 1250, she accurately predicted the imminent and entirely unexpected death of the avowed enemy of the popes, Emperor Frederick II. She desired entry into the Poor Clare convent of St. Mary of the Roses at Viterbo but was refused admission owing to the lack of a dowry. After her death on March 6 at the age of seventeen, Pope Alexander IV, by way of giving thanks for her support, ordered that she be buried in the convent. Rose was canonized in 1457.