Mary the Miserable

Who they were

In the second half of the 13th century, in the town of Woluwe in the Duchy of Brabant, a girl named Maria was born to a humble but devout family. From a young age she dedicated herself entirely to God, living in poverty and virginity as a recluse attached to the small church of Santa Maria outside her village, rarely leaving except to beg alms.

A local young man who fell in love with her was rejected because she had consecrated herself to God, and out of spite hid a stolen silver chalice in her alms bag before accusing her of theft; despite the town's esteem for her, she was condemned to death by live burial and impalement, the punishment reserved for thieves. Before her execution on 18 June 1290 she asked to stop and pray at the church where she had lived, a prayer remembered in her biography and from which she took the popular name "Maria the Sorrowful." Hours later her accuser began to show signs of demonic possession, from which he was freed only seven years afterward at her tomb; her body was later moved to the parish church of Saint Peter at Woluwe, where she is still venerated locally as Blessed.

The miracles

The source does not describe the miracles approved in the cause.

Why that counted as sanctity

Consecrated recluse of Woluwe in Brabant, put to death after a false accusation of theft; venerated locally as blessed, died 18 June 1290.

The cause