Mariam Baouardy was born at Abellin (Ibillin), a small village in Galilee on January 5, 1846. Her family was of the Greek Melchite Rite. Miriam was not yet 3 yrs old when her father died, and her mother died just a few days later. Her brother Boulos (Paul) was then adopted by an aunt and Miriam was adopted by an uncle. After many hardships, including an attempted rape and murder, having her throat slashed and left to die, she entered the Discalced Carmelites in Pau, France, in 1867. There she received the name Mary of Jesus Crucified. Mariam was sent with the founding group to the Carmel of Mangalore in India where, in 1870, she made her profession. She returned to France in 1872. In 1875 she went to the Holy Land where she built a monastery in Bethlehem and began planning for another at Nazareth. While watching over the workers during a construction in the Bethlehem Carmel, she went to get water for the workers and fell down the stairs, braking an arm. Grangrene set in and she died a few days later, on August 26, 1878, at the age of 32. Mariam is also affectionately known as the Little Arab. As a "white veil" sister, Mariam did the hard labors in the community, such as cooking and cleaning, and did not have a vote in the decisions made by the chapter (which was composed of the "choir sisters"). Though she was a "white veil" sister, she is considered the foundress of the Bethlehem Carmel. Mariam was noted for her supernatural gifts, especially for humility (calling herself "the little nothing"), for her devotion to the Holy Spirit, and her great love for the Church and the Pope. Pope John Paul II beatified her on November 13, 1983.
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