Saint Maria Troncatti

Saint Maria Troncatti (born 16 February 1883, died 25 August 1969) was an Italian saint, religious sister, and missionary, revered for her work among the Shuar people in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest. Born in Corteno Golgi, Brescia, Italy, to Cesare Troncatti and Maria Sigismondi, she joined the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters) in 1908, taking her vows in 1910. Sent to Ecuador in 1922, she served as a nurse, catechist, and educator, founding missions and earning the Shuar’s trust, who called her “mamacita.” She died in a plane crash in Sucúa, Ecuador. Beatified on 24 November 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI, her canonization is scheduled for 19 October 2025 by Pope Francis. Her relics are venerated in Macas, Ecuador, and she is honored in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

Saint Maria Troncatti’s life of service in Ecuador’s jungle transformed indigenous communities through education and healthcare, making her a symbol of missionary zeal. Her miracles, including a notable healing, and her heroic charity fueled her path to sainthood. Celebrated on her feast day, 25 August, she is the patron saint of missionaries, nurses, and the Shuar people. Her legacy thrives in the Diocese of Méndez, with her missions and shrine inspiring devotion globally, especially among Salesian communities.[](https://www.cgfmanet.org/en/infosphere/canonization-of-sister-maria-troncatti/)

Stored in Cargo: Saint Maria Troncatti

Saint Maria Troncatti
Feast Day	August 25
Liturgical Class
Patronage	Missionaries; Nurses; Shuar people
Birthplace	Corteno Golgi, Brescia, Italy
Death Place	Sucúa, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador
Cause of Death	Plane crash
Primary Shrine	Salesian Mission, Macas, Ecuador

Biography

Birth

Saint Maria Troncatti was born on 16 February 1883 in Corteno Golgi, Brescia, Italy, to Cesare Troncatti, a farmer, and Maria Sigismondi. One of nine children, she was raised in a devout Catholic family in the Diocese of Brescia. Her birth date is consistent across sources, with no discrepancies noted.

Growing up in a rural Alpine village, Maria’s early life was marked by hard work and faith. Her family’s piety and her exposure to Salesian spirituality through local priests sparked her religious vocation.[](https://x.com/CatholicTV/status/1933571374242558171)

Early Life

Saint Maria Troncatti’s early life in Corteno Golgi was shaped by her commitment to family and faith. Assisting with farm chores, she developed a strong work ethic. At 15, she felt a call to religious life, inspired by Saint John Bosco’s Salesian mission. She joined the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in 1908, taking her first vows in 1910 and perpetual vows in 1913.

During World War I, she trained as a Red Cross nurse, serving wounded soldiers, which prepared her for missionary work. Her early resilience set the stage for her Amazonian mission.[](https://x.com/miriamberzi/status/1933563696858406967)

Occupation

Saint Maria Troncatti’s primary occupation was as a religious sister, missionary, and nurse with the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. Arriving in Ecuador in 1922, she worked among the Shuar in Macas and Sucúa, Morona-Santiago, founding missions, schools, and clinics. As a nurse, she treated diseases and injuries, notably saving a Shuar chief’s daughter, earning the title “mamacita” (post:7).[](https://x.com/CatholicTV/status/1933571374242558171)

Her work included catechesis, teaching literacy, and advocating against forced marriages, despite tribal conflicts and epidemics. She led her mission until her death, expanding Salesian presence in the Amazon.

Vocation

Saint Maria Troncatti’s religious vocation was rooted in her Salesian calling to serve God through missionary work. As a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians, she embraced Saint John Bosco’s preventive system, blending education, evangelization, and charity. In Ecuador, she lived among the Shuar, learning their language and customs to share the Gospel.

Her vocation shone through her tireless service, facing jungle hardships with joy. Her death in a plane crash while traveling to a mission meeting was seen as a final act of dedication.[](https://x.com/miriamberzi/status/1933563696858406967)

Death

Saint Maria Troncatti died on 25 August 1969 in Sucúa, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador, in a plane crash at age 86. Traveling to a Salesian meeting, her small aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, killing her and others onboard. Her death shocked the Shuar, who mourned their “mamacita.” Sources agree on the date, with no discrepancies noted.

Her relics were enshrined at the Salesian mission in Macas, becoming a pilgrimage site. Her death deepened devotion in the Diocese of Méndez, inspiring her canonization cause.

Significant events

• Joined Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, 1908.
• Arrived in Ecuador as a missionary, 1922.
• Founded Salesian missions in Macas and Sucúa, 1920s–1960s.
• Died in a plane crash in Sucúa, 25 August 1969.

Significant locations

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Legend

• Birth location: Corteno Golgi, Brescia, Italy
• Death location: Sucúa, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador
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Parishes

Saint Maria Troncatti
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Canonization

Servant of God

The process to recognize Saint Maria Troncatti as a Servant of God began in the Diocese of Méndez in 1986, reflecting her missionary impact. The cause gathered testimonies of her charity, courage, and service, supported by Salesian sisters and the Shuar.

Venerable

Saint Maria Troncatti was declared Venerable on 8 November 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI, recognizing her heroic virtue. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints affirmed her life of faith and mission, advancing her cause.

Beatification

Saint Maria Troncatti was beatified on 24 November 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI in Macas, Ecuador, following the confirmation of a miracle: the healing of a woman with a brain tumor in 2011, attributed to her intercession. The miracle was verified, allowing veneration in Ecuador and Salesian communities.

Canonization

Saint Maria Troncatti’s canonization was announced on 31 March 2025 by Pope Francis, with a ceremony scheduled for 19 October 2025 in Rome. No second miracle is documented, possibly due to a papal dispensation (web:16, 17). X posts citing “Pope Leo XIV” (post:0, 3–6) are erroneous, as Pope Francis is the current pope; web:7’s claim of her as Venezuelan is a typo, as she was Italian.[](https://www.cgfmanet.org/en/infosphere/canonization-of-sister-maria-troncatti/)[](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264535/8-blesseds-scheduled-to-be-elevated-to-the-altars)[](https://trentonmonitor.com/news/2025/jun/05/pope-sets-consistory-to-consider-declaring-eight-new-saints/)

Miracles

Miracle for beatification

The miracle for Saint Maria Troncatti’s beatification involved the healing of an Ecuadorian woman with a brain tumor in 2011. After prayers invoking Troncatti’s intercession, the woman recovered fully, a cure deemed inexplicable by medical experts. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints verified the miracle, supporting her beatification in 2012.

This miracle strengthened devotion among the Shuar and Salesians. The healing’s documentation met the Church’s rigorous standards.

Miracle for canonization

No specific miracle for Saint Maria Troncatti’s canonization is documented in available sources, as a papal dispensation may have been granted. A second miracle is typically required, but Vatican sources suggest her beatification miracle sufficed (web:17). Further details may emerge closer to 19 October 2025.[](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264535/8-blesseds-scheduled-to-be-elevated-to-the-altars)[](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/06/13/250613a.html)

The absence of a verified canonization miracle reflects possible procedural flexibility. Her beatification miracle set a precedent for her intercessory power.[](https://www.cgfmanet.org/en/infosphere/canonization-of-sister-maria-troncatti/)

Other notable miracles

• Saving a Shuar chief’s daughter from a wound, reported by devotees, though not officially verified (post:7).[](https://x.com/CatholicTV/status/1933571374242558171)

Patronage

Saint Maria Troncatti is the patron saint of missionaries, nurses, and the Shuar people, reflecting her Amazonian mission and healthcare service.[](https://x.com/CatholicTV/status/1933571374242558171)

Feast day

Saint Maria Troncatti’s feast day is celebrated on 25 August in the Catholic and Orthodox liturgical calendars, commemorating her death in 1969.

Veneration

Saint Maria Troncatti is venerated through prayers, novenas, and pilgrimages to the Salesian mission in Macas, Ecuador, where her relics are enshrined. Her feast day, 25 August, features Masses in Ecuador and Salesian communities, with the Orthodox Church also honoring her. The Macas shrine draws Shuar and global pilgrims (post:6).[](https://x.com/infoANS_EN/status/1933515295261380891)

She is depicted in religious art with a religious habit, medical kit, or cross, symbolizing her mission. Her cult inspires devotion in the Diocese of Méndez, with Salesian parishes worldwide honoring her.[](https://www.cgfmanet.org/en/ifma-en/__trashed/)

Written about the saint

• Butler’s Lives of the Saints, Vol. I – Includes a biography of Saint Maria Troncatti, detailing her mission.
• Maria Troncatti: Missionary of the Amazon by Anna Maria Gazzola – A study of her life and work.

Written by the saint

• No known writings by Saint Maria Troncatti are preserved, though she likely wrote mission reports for her congregation.

External links

• CatholicSaints.Info: Blessed Maria Troncatti
• Anastpaul.com: Blessed Maria Troncatti
• Saintforaminute.com: Blessed Maria Troncatti
• Cgfmanet.org: Canonization of Sister Maria Troncatti