Jesus appeared to St. Mariam Thresia often times carrying the heavy cross and bruised all over His body. Unable to see this sight she repeatedly begged Him to allow her a full share of the cross; Jesus asked her “will you bear the cross without complaint? Then bear it and sooth my pain”. Jesus placed His cross on her shoulder.
Then Jesus asked her who would do reparation for the sins of mankind she replied that she would do it if it were pleasing to God. (Fr. VithayathilDiary p.175). Jesus embraced her affectionately sharing His love. Thresia who had received the pierced heart of Jesus felt acute pain on her chest, right from the moment till her death as a constant reminder of Jesus sufferings.
On 27 Jan 1909, St. Mariam Thresia was given the Stigmata in visible form. 4 days a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from three to long hours she suffered ‘the passion of Christ’ in her body. At times her head was found bleeding as though she were given a crown of thorns, as pricing with lance and piece of flesh taken out, carrying the heavy cross, crucifixion and nailing, death pangs of Calvary and so on.
Sometime she was seen raised above the ground, fixed herself to the wall as if nailed to the cross. In the lantern seasons, the passions used to be so severe that the mystical experience continued for more than a day or two from Friday noon to Saturday midnight
Once Mariam Thresia on a visit to her maternal uncle happened to stay there. On that day Thuravoor Magali family (her maternal home) could witness the stigmata of Thresia. Her uncle in secret kept back the blood socked jacket. The Mangali Family sacredly preserved this it in their families, they framed it well handing down to next generations. Recently the jacket was brought to Kuzhikkatussery and is placed for public veneration in the room where Mariam Thresia died. It has been over 117 years but the jacked stained with blood of stigmata remains intact inside the frame.
The testimony of Sr. Berchumans shared her testimony thus saying I knew of her stigmata even before she came our house when I was eight. I was curious to see and therefore when all others were talking to her, I pushed my way to her and stood near her and looked on her palm. Mariam Thresia understood that I was looking at it and I thought she approved. I saw on the back of her palm the scar of a wound, found the same on both hands and legs. On that day my aunt who slept near her saw blood stains in the form of a crown on her veil. she told me this on the next day”
For St. Mariam Thresia the stigmata was just a sign of her deep spiritual union with Christ which she longed from age of five. When she used to crawl on four legs placing a heavy stone on her back supposing to be the cross of Christ. She was given a full share and permitted to bear them till her death. The origin of the wounds were supernatural, the wounds remained painfully real in her visible to others.
Great saints like St. Francis of Assisi, St. Padre Pio, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Faustina Kowalska, and saints of western origin are well known with stigmata but it becomes a close reality to us with St. Mariam Thresia of Puthenchira and many in our country in the recent times.
St. Mariam Thresia considered herself crucified with Christ, and offered her life as a perfect sacrifice for the love of God.
Sr. Udaya Kallukaran Chf