Mariam Baouardy

Life

Birth

The Baouardy family, of Lebanese origin, starts by living a great suffering: the death of twelve boys in low age. The parents decide to make a Pèlerinage 170km until Bethlehem to request God to grant to them a girl by the intercession of the Virgin Mary. This girl is born nine months later on January 5th, 1846. One gives him the name of Marie, Mariam. She is baptized and confirmed in the next days according to the catholic rite Greek-melkite. The year according to, a boy, Boulos, comes to increase the family.

Childhood

His/her parents die in a few days of interval when it is three years old. Their two children are separated and will not dream themselves any more. Mariam is collected by a paternal uncle, while his/her Boulos brother is collected in a maternal aunt. Seeing death approaching, his/her father entrusted Mariam to Saint Joseph.

At the 13 years age, she lives Alexandria and his/her uncle wants to marry it. She refuses because she feels called to give all her life to God. She flees. A man collects it, but as she refuses to disavow her faith Catholique, this man slices the throat to him. He believes it dead. Mariam awakes in a cave where a Sœur vêtue in blue looks after it during several months. Mariam will understand that this woman was in fact the Virgin Mary.

Since this time there, Mariam being all alone, it will work in several cities (Alexandria, Jerusalem, Beirut, Marseilles) as maidservant.

Mariam can neither read, nor to write.

Religious life

Sisters of the Visitation

At 19 years, it enters like beginner at the monastery St Joseph of the Appearance with Marseilles. It can neither read nor to write, and does not speak French well. It receives the Stigmates. At the end of two years, it is not allowed to pronounce its perpetual Vœux, and one directs it towards a more contemplative order because of the mystical graces which is granted to him.

Carmel

It enters then to the Carmel of Pau under the name of Marie sister of Jesus Crucifié .

Three years after, in 1870, Mariam belongs to an small group which leaves to found the first Carmel in India, with Mangalore. She pronounces her perpetual Vœux with Mangalore on November 21st, 1871. In 1872, it turns over to the Carmel of Pau to France because the mystical graces which are granted to him develop tensions in the religious community of India.

In 1875, it leaves with another small group out of Holy Land to found Carmel with Bethlehem. It deals particularly with work, being the only one with speaking Arabic. She dies on August 26th, 1878 in her 33e year of the continuations of a fall.

Mystical graces and charismas

Mariam bénéfie of many mystical gifts: extases, visions, levitation, Marks of Passion, prophecy, etc

It also composes of beautiful poetries whereas it is almost illétrée.

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