The Poor Claire Martyr: Rani Maria Vattalil
The martyrdom of Indian Poor Claire Rani Maria Vattalil, who was stabbed with a knife 54 times in 1995, was recognized by the Catholic Church on March 23, 2017. Her family has forgiven the assassin: in a symbolic gesture, one of her sisters even adopted him as her “brother".
Rani Maria was born on January 29, 1954, the second of seven children, in Pulluvazhy, a small village near Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala. She joined the Franciscan Poor Claires in Kidangoor, in 1972, and made her first religious profession two years later. She chose the name Rani – queen – Maria. She was 41 years old when Samundhar Singh, hired by some land owners, stabbed her in a bus on February 25, 1995. As she got off the crowded bus and tried to run, the assassin followed her and continued stabbing her. Rani Maria kept repeating “Jesus! Jesus!” until her last breath right there on the side of the road.
The family of the murdered religious made the exceptional gesture of forgiving Samundhar Singh, who became their “brother”: Rani Maria’s little sister, a member of the same congregation, tied around the former assassin’s arm a “raki", a sacred string that symbolizes a bond of brotherhood and protection. Rani Maria’s mother Eliswa also visited him in prison and kissed the hands of her daughter’s executioner. After having served his time, he now leads an exemplary life in his home village.
Source : Vatican Radio
