Maria Crocifissa di Rosa was a 19th-century Italian nun who founded the Ancelle della Carità. Born Paola Francesca Di Rosa in Brescia in 1813, she initially managed her father's spinning mill. During her time there, she focused on the spiritual and physical welfare of the female employees. Her dedication to social service, including assisting the sick during a cholera epidemic and supporting deaf and mute women, eventually led her to establish a religious congregation dedicated to serving the poor and the ill.