In 15th-century Portugal, St. Beatrice of Silva's was born into a noble family. Her exceptional beauty and virtue, however, sparked jealousy in her cousin, Queen Isabel of Castile, who imprisoned her in a small cell, and, according to some accounts, even a trunk. During this imprisonment, Beatrice experienced a mystical vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who instructed her to found a new religious order dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. After a miraculous escape, Beatrice sought refuge in a Dominican convent in Toledo, Spain, where she lived for 37 years, practicing patience and awaiting the fulfillment of the vision. In 1484, with support from the future Queen Isabella I, Beatrice founded the Order of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Conceptionists. The Conceptionists focused on prayer and contemplation. They wore a white habit with a white scapular and a blue mantle, and recited the office of the Immaculate Conception daily. Beatrice was the first abbess of the Order until her death on August 17, 1492. She was beatified in 1926 by Pope Pius XI and canonized in 1976 by Pope Paul VI. She is the patron saint of prisoners.