Mariam Vattalil

Rani Maria Vattalil, FCC (29 January 1954 – 25 February 1995) was an Indian Catholic religious sister and social worker of the Franciscan Clarists who worked in the Diocese of Indore. Vattalil, a Syro-Malabar Eastern Catholic, dedicated herself to catechetical formation and educational instruction in different areas of the region. She was vocal in matters of social justice, which led to her murder by those opposed to her aid of the poor.

Vattali's cause for canonization was opened after her death, and she was beatified in Indore on 4 November 2017.

Life Childhood and education Mariam Vattalil was born in Kerala, India, on 29 January 1954 as the second of seven children to Paily and Eliswa Vattalil. Her baptism was celebrated at the Church of Saint Thomas on the following 5 February, with her name being chosen in honour of the Mother of God. The murder was arranged because some landlords were offended due to her work among the landless poor.

The police at 10:45 am contacted the sisters to inform them of what had happened and to tell them that their slain sister's remains were still on the side of the road. The distraught sisters contacted the Bishop of Indore George Anathil to inform him of what had happened before Anathil and some priests reached the spot at 2:00pm to find her bloodied corpse which was taken to the episcopal residence to be cleaned and laid in state.

Posthumous recognition Cardinal Oswald Gracias described her work as an "heroic example ... siding with the poor and disadvantaged". A museum in her honour exists in Ernakulam. Her remains were exhumed for inspection and reburial on 18 November 2016 in Indore with the diocesan bishop overseeing the exhumation. and he is considered one of their own. He was moved to tears when he learned of her impending beatification in March 2017 and expressed his enthusiasm for being able to attend the beatification.

Beatification

The diocesan process took place in Indore from 29 June 2005 to 28 June 2007. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints received the Positio in 2014. Pope Francis approved the cause on 23 March 2017 and confirmed that Vattalil would be beatified on 4 November 2017 in Indore. The postulator assigned to the cause is Fra Giovangiuseppe Califano.

In popular culture The documentary entitled The Heart of a Murderer, depicting the murder and subsequent repentance of Samundar Singh, was the winner at the World Interfaith Harmony Film Festival of 2013.

In 2023 a movie named The Face of the Faceless was created inspired from her life.

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