Swiss seamstress Marguerite Bays to become a saint

Bays was beatified in 1995 by Pope John Paul II. Keystone / Hand Out

On Monday, Pope Francis formally approved the sainthood at a solemn meeting of cardinals (consistory).

 A native of Siviriez in the western Swiss canton of Fribourg, Bays belonged to the Third Order of St. Francis of Assisi.  Born in 1815, she was a humble laywoman from a farming background who dedicated herself to God. She worked as a seamstress, domestic help and farmhand but was known in the region for helping the poor, domestic servants and orphans. For 19 years, she had the stigmata and died in 1879. 

In January, the Vatican recognised a second miracle attributed to her, opening the door to canonisation: A two-year-old girl was run over by a tractor but escaped unharmed. Her grandfather, who had witnessed the incident, had invoked Bays to save his granddaughter’s life.  

The Swiss was beatified in 1995 by Pope John Paul II.  

“She is a very simple woman, with an ordinary life, in whom each of us can find ourselves. She did not achieve anything extraordinary, and yet her existence was a long silent march in the way of holiness,” said John Paul on her beatification. 

Four other blessed were approved for canonisation this year: Cardinal John Henry Newman of England, Sister Maria Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan of India, Sister Giuseppina Vannini of Italy and Dulce Lopes Pontes of Brazil.