Saint María Soledad Torres y Acosta

Saint María Soledad Torres y Acosta

Born: December 2, 1826 in Madrid, Kingdom of Spain

Died: October 11, 1887 in Madrid

Beatified: February 5, 1950 by Pope Pius XII

Canonized: January 25,1970 by Pope Paul VI

Feast day: October 11

Attributes: Religious habit

Patronage: The Servants of Mary

Saint María Soledad Torres y Acosta was born in Madrid on December 2, 1826 as Manuela Torres y Acosta. She was a Spanish Nun and an original member of the Order of the Servants of Mary, dedicated to caring for the sick and the poor.

As a child María was educated by the Vincentian Sisters. She wanted to live a life of religion, but in 1850 was denied admittance to the Dominicans because of her frail health.

In 1851 she was accepted into a new religious cluster of women, formed by Father Miguel Martinez Sanz to minister to the poor and sick. There she accepted the habit and took the religious name of María Soledad.

In 1856 the new order was named the Servants of Mary. The order was lauded for their significant efforts in caring for the sick during the 1865 cholera epidemic.

She was removed twice as the leader of the order but was reinstated both times by the local bishop. María Soledad went to Havana in 1875, and the Order of Servants of Mary received papal approval in 1876 by Pope Pius IX.

Saint María Soledad Torres y Acosta died from pneumonia in Madrid on October 11, 1887 at the age of 60.

Torres y Acosta was beatified in 1950 and canonized as a saint in 1970. In 2016, the movie Luz de Soledad was released in Spain, a film that portrays her religious life and early struggles as the founder of the Servants of Mary.

Source: Wikipedia.