This is the story of Alexandrina Maria da Costa, a Portuguese woman who convinced a pope to consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Alexandrina was born in Balasar, Portugal, on March 30, 1904. She had a happy childhood, but at the age of 14, she jumped out of a window 12 feet from the ground to escape from a man who was trying to abuse her. She was seriously injured and left with reduced mobility. Years later, she became totally paralyzed.
Alexandrina spent 30 years in bed. She longed for healing, but recognized that part of her vocation was to accept her suffering.
Every Friday for four years straight, she relived the moments of the Passion. Even in severe pain and defying her severely limited mobility, she would crawl out of bed and pray for three hours. She experienced the suffering of the Passion of Christ for 182 consecutive Fridays.
Mystical experiences and the request for the consecration of the world
Around the age of 24, Alexandrina began to have mystical experiences. Under the guidance of her spiritual director, she began to put down on paper everything that Jesus told her.
One of these requests was the consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was a request that took six years to be fulfilled. The Vatican website (in the Portuguese edition) explains:
In 1936, at Jesus’ command, she asked the Holy Father, through Fr. Pinho [her spiritual director], for the consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This request was renewed several times until 1941, when the Holy See questioned the Archbishop of Braga three times about Alexandrina. On October 31, 1942, Pius XII consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary with a message transmitted from Fatima in Portuguese. This act was repeated in Rome at St. Peter’s Basilica on December 8 of the same year of 1942.
She followed Our Lady of Fatima’s message to the letter, encouraging everyone to do penance, pray the Rosary, live a sinless life, and receive the Eucharist.
The Eucharist and the prophecy of her death
For more than 13 years, Alexandrina nourished herself exclusively on the Eucharist. At the same time, she dedicated herself diligently to the spiritual services of the parish to which she belonged.
Many people came from far away to listen to her advice. There are even reports that many people converted after talking to her.
Considered by some authors to be one of the great modern mystics, Alexandrina’s death was revealed to her ahead of time, as the official Vatican website reports:
On January 7, 1955 it was pre-announced to her that it would be the year of her death. Indeed, on October 12 she requested to receive the anointing of the sick. And on the 13th, the anniversary of the last apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, she was heard to exclaim, “I am happy because I am going to heaven.” At 7:30 p.m. she died.
Alexandrina was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2004. She became known as the “little saint of Balasar.” In Portugal, many also refer to her as the “fourth seer of Fatima.”
And today we celebrate...