Saint Mariam Thresia, born on April 26, 1876, in the ancient Christian village of Puthenchira, Kerala, was a beacon of spiritual devotion, mysticism, and social transformation. Belonging to the illustrious Chiramel Mankidiyan family, known for its legacy of priests and community leadership, Thresia was baptized on May 3, 1876, and named after St. Teresa of Avila. From a young age, she displayed a profound thirst for divine union and spiritual knowledge, often proclaiming that “the knowledge of God is greater than every other knowledge.”
The early death of her mother at the age of 12 left a lasting impression on Thresia, compelling her to adopt the Blessed Virgin Mary as her spiritual mother. Her interior life flourished through intense prayer, penance, and mystical experiences. Jesus and the Holy Family frequently appeared to her, comforting and guiding her. In 1904, the Blessed Virgin added the name “Mariam” to her name, marking her as “Mariam Thresia.” Between 1904 and 1906, she received the hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and bore the visible stigmata of Christ from 1909. Her mystical journey included ecstasies, spiritual betrothal, visions of heaven and purgatory, and the divine gift of reading hearts.
In 1913, discerning a unique spiritual path not suited to any existing order, Mariam Thresia founded the Congregation of the Holy Family (CHF) in Puthenchira with the support of her spiritual father, Fr. Joseph Vithayathil, and the approval of Bishop John Menachery. The new religious community began in the humble "Ekanthabhavan" (House of Solitude), with three companions and a mission rooted in family apostolate. Mariam Thresia courageously visited families, counseled them, and brought reconciliation, healing, and spiritual renewal, often at the cost of ridicule and misunderstanding. Her radical style of family ministry became a pioneering model for the Church.
As the community grew, she established new convents and educational institutions to uplift families through faith and learning. The first Holy Family School opened in Puthenchira in 1915, and an English boarding school for CHF members was founded in Thrissur in 1918. Despite societal resistance, her apostolate blossomed through visible results in the spiritual revival of families, earning her deep respect.
In June 1926, while attending a function in Thumbur, a sanctuary railing collapsed on her leg. Despite medical intervention, her health worsened due to diabetes. On June 8, 1926, she peacefully passed away after bidding farewell to her sisters with words of faith and love. She was buried in the chapel grounds of Kuzhikkattussery, and her legacy of holiness began to spread like the fragrant jasmines that mysteriously bloomed that night in her garden.
The cause for her canonization began decades later after the death of Fr. Vithayathil. Through meticulous historical and theological examination, and the approval of a miracle attributed to her intercession – the healing of a boy suffering from clubfoot Pope John Paul II beatified her on April 9, 2000. A second miraculous healing in 2009 involving a critically ill newborn led to her canonization. On May 17, 2015, Pope Francis declared her a saint, affirming her heroic virtues and sanctity.
Saint Mariam Thresia is today venerated as the patron of families, women's education, and the state of Kerala. Her feast day is celebrated on June 8. Her life, marked by a mystical union with Christ and unwavering service to society’s most intimate unit the family remains a spiritual treasure for the global Church.