(ANS – Rome) – On the evening of October 2, 2025, during the traditional Goodnight offered by Fr. Pier Luigi Cameroni, Postulator General of the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family, at the Headquarters of the Salesians of Don Bosco, a moment of profound spiritual significance took place: the presentation of the relic of Blessed Maria Troncatti. This precious relic, a phalanx of her hand, represents a tangible link with her extraordinary life of heroic holiness, missionary zeal and unshakeable faith.

The Second Vatican Council recalls that ‘the Church, according to tradition, venerates the Saints and holds in honour their authentic relics and their images’.[323]  ‘Relics of the Saints’ indicates first of all the bodies – or notable parts thereof – of those who, by now living in the heavenly homeland, were on this earth, and because of the heroic holiness of their lives, are distinguished members of the Mystical Body of Christ and living temple of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor 6:16).[324] Then, objects that belonged to the Saints, such as furnishings, garments, and manuscripts, and objects placed in contact with their bodies or their tombs, such as olï, linen cloths (brandea), and also with venerated images. The renewed Roman Missal reaffirms the validity of the ‘custom of placing the relics of saints, even if not martyrs, under the altar to be dedicated’.[325] Placed under the altar, the relics indicate that the sacrifice of the members draws origin and meaning from the sacrifice of the Head,[326] and are a symbolic expression of the communion in the one sacrifice of Christ of the whole Church, called to testify, even with blood, its fidelity to its Bridegroom and Lord. The reliquary prepared for the canonisation of Blessed Maria Troncatti contains a phalanx of Sister Maria Troncatti’s hand. Sister Maria lived her life stretching out her hands to the Lord in supplication and abandonment and extending them towards her neighbour as a sign of help, consolation and healing. She was a missionary of the Gospel, proclaimed the Kingdom of God, healed the sick, travelled from village to village, performed healings of body and soul. Sister Maria’s hands were hands that welcomed, helped, healed, blessed.

She had her first encounter with the Shuar on the way to Macas exactly 100 years ago:

Hands that heal and cure

Indeed, what a feast and fearful  moment the first encounter with the Indians was. The welcome was conditional on safe-conduct, in the absence of which there was no remand, no forced repatriation, only summary execution. A teenage daughter of the cacique, a few days earlier, had been accidentally hit by a rifle bullet over a rivalry between opposing families. The wound had then suppurated. The witch doctor approached refused to proceed and the case was serious. Knowing that there was a doctor among the missionaries, without much preamble the alternative was put to her: “If you cure her, we welcome you, if she dies we kill you”. A significant gesture indicated that the same fate was in store for the others in the group. Meanwhile, some warriors guarded the small mission like “avenging statues”. They all looked at Sister Maria with pleading eyes. The leader opened the door, the girl was brought in and placed on a table. “Sister Maria, operate on her,” said Bishop Comin, Vicar Apostolic. “I am not a doctor, Bishop; and then with what, with what instruments?” “We will all pray while you operate,” the Provincial, Mother Mioletti, said. The young girl also looked at her. Sister Maria placed a hand on her forehead: it was hot. The missionary asked for water to be boiled, she covered herself with a white cloth and with the help of iodine tincture and a pocket knife, carefully sterilised by the flame, proceeded to make a decisive cut, mentally invoking Mary Help of Christians, while the missionaries were in the chapel praying. As if propelled by an unknown hand, the bullet leaped out and fell to the ground, amidst the nervous laughter of the Kivari who expressed their satisfaction. “Our Lady helped me,” Sister Maria wrote, “I saw a miracle: I was able to extract the bullet and the child was healed, thanks to Mary Help of Christians and Mother Mazzarello.” Thus, attributing the beginning of her work to the maternal intercession of Mary Help of Christians, the vast field of the mission opened up to her: caring for a little girl, as first fruits and a sign of all the attention that Sr Maria and her Salesian Sisters would offer, defending and promoting the life and growth of little girls and young women in particular. A little girl wounded by tribal and vindictive hatred against which Sr Maria, with all the missionaries, would fight the good fight of the gospel, proclaiming the redemptive power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Praying hands

She accompanied the direction of souls with rosary beads in her hands, offering the mysteries of Christ’s sorrow, of his joys and triumphs for those who approached her. Her solicitude knew how to grasp, along with the medical problem, the vital and family context, for “She could not bear to see anyone suffering. She made every effort to resolve every difficulty and leave everyone in peace.” The ultimate goal was clear: to bring everyone closer to God. “With the rosary in her hand she resolved difficult cases, like caring for the sick,  difficult economic situations or spiritual ones: bringing divided families back together, returning those who had been away from him for years to friendship with God.”

Her botiquín thus became a clinic for souls.

“When she cared for the sick, Sister Maria took a keen interest in their religious-moral life and the problems of each one and those of the family. She knew how to orient and animate, how to guide and correct clearly.”

Miraculous hands

A man who was terribly burnt and maddened by pain was thus cured by Sister Maria: for two days and two nights, she began the cure with the rosary and medicated him for a few weeks. After thirty days, this man and his wife went to fulfil the vow made to the  Virgin Purísima of Macas: he was completely healthy, without any marks or scars on his skin. No one would have believed that he could survive that ordeal.

God healed him through the miraculous hands and daily prayers and the maternal heart of Sister Maria. Her zeal is well captured by this judgement: “heroic in the practice of charity. She did not bother about sacrifices, nor dangers, nor contagions, still less did she stop in the face of adverse atmospheric phenomena… it was enough to know that someone was suffering, for her to fly to their aid, carrying in her heart the hope of being able to do good, also to their souls.”

Hands that put out the fire of hatred and revenge

Around the age of seven or eight, Maria found herself during the summer at Col d’Aprica, with other shepherd children who, together with their flocks, were playing by the stream. To dry themselves after a downpour, the boys decide to light a small fire, but a sudden gust of wind pushed the flame towards Maria and a blaze licked her dress and stockings. Frightened, she tried to extinguish the flames with her hands, while her stockings seem to fry on her legs and her hands, which were scorched, turned black and remained as if sealed. Providentially, a man passing by on the nearby mule track ran to her, put out the fire and while trying to medicate her with oil exclaimed: “Poor child, she will never be able to use her hands again!” A few hours later, however, her hands and arms became healthy and beautiful again, without a trace of burn, while the scars on her legs would remain for the rest of her life. There would be another fire that would affect Maria Troncatti’s life: that of hatred and revenge that she would often see flare up in her missionary adventure among the Shuar and the settlers. A fire that she would try to extinguish with the oil of kindness, and at the end of her life with her own life offered in sacrifice. And those hands that the fire seemed no longer to allow to be used, would be instruments for the fire of charity that would give relief, care and comfort to so many people.

Hands that abandoned themselves to God

To the sisters who expressed their anguish and fear at the situation that had arisen in Sucúa, she replied decisevly and firmly: “Little daughters, do not fear and do not be afraid because of all that has happened; let us abandon ourselves into God’s hands and pray for the conversion of the wicked! May they remain in peace! Let them trust in Our Lady Help of Christians and they will see that this anguish will not last long: very soon tranquillity and calm will arrive! I assure you!” These were words of farewell, in the peace of a life completely offered.