The Murder and the Heavenly Nurse

Short Summary: Mariam Baouardy survived a brutal attack at age 12, experienced a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and went on to become a Carmelite nun, known for numerous supernatural events, including the stigmata and healings.

Details

Location: Alexandria, Egypt

Year: 1858

Prayer: Prayer written by Sr. Mary of Jesus Crucified: Holy Spirit, inspire me. Love of God, consume me. To the right path lead me. Mary my mother, look down upon me. With Jesus, bless me. From all evil, all illusion, all danger, preserve me. Amen.

Verse: I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. -Rm 12:1-2

Full Story

Mariam Baouardy was born near Nazareth, Israel, into a Byzantine family. At the age of 12, she began working in Egypt, where a young man made advances toward her and demanded that she convert to Islam. When she refused, he slashed her throat and left her in an alley, believing her to be dead. As Mariam lay near death, she later recounted that a "nun dressed in blue" appeared, stitching her throat in a grotto. It was during this time that she had a profound vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary surrounded by angels. Mariam also saw her parents and the throne of the Holy Trinity. She heard a voice telling her that she was a virgin and that “her book is not yet finished,” indicating that her mission on Earth was not over. Mariam’s recovery was miraculous, as doctors who later examined her could not explain how she survived. Several cartilaginous rings of her trachea were missing, making survival without medical intervention almost impossible. A French doctor, initially an atheist, confessed that her recovery led him to believe in God, saying, “from a natural point of view, she could not have lived.” A touching detail from this experience is that the "nun in blue" made her a heavenly soup during her recovery, which Mariam described as so delicious that she remembered the taste for the rest of her life. On her deathbed, she lovingly recalled this moment, expressing her hope to taste it again in heaven. After this profound experience, Mariam went on to become a Carmelite nun at the age of 21, taking the name Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified. Throughout her religious life, she was known for many mystical experiences, including stigmata, levitations, and healings. She is buried in the monastery she founded in Bethlehem, fulfilling the prophecy she received during her vision.

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