Witnesses of Hope: Saint Mary of Jesus Crucified Baouardy

Saint Mary of Jesus Crucified, born Maria Baouardy, was an extraordinary woman who lived an intense life marked by deep faith and a remarkable ability to transform suffering into hope. Born in 1846 in Galilee, she was orphaned at the age of three and grew up in poverty and conflict, facing severe trials from a young age. At thirteen, she miraculously survived an attempted murder after refusing to convert to Islam. She later recounted being healed by a celestial figure she identified as the Virgin Mary. After joining the Carmelite order, she experienced profound mystical phenomena,including ecstasies, stigmata, visions, and spiritual battles, while always maintaining exceptional humility and unwavering faith. It was in Bethlehem, in 1878, that she died at the age of just 32, from injuries sustained in a fall. Her life is a powerful witness to a tangible hope born from the heart of one who has seen the Cross and chosen to embrace it. It is a testament to the truth that even when all seems lost, faith can lead us to be reborn. The souvenir sheet, designed by Orietta Rossi, features a portrait of Mariam Baouardy on the stamp, and on the margin, a depiction of Hope.