The missionary heart of Saint Maria Troncatti

Rome (Italy). February 16, 2026, marks the anniversary of the birth of Sister Maria Troncatti, a missionary Daughter of Mary Help of Christians canonized by Pope Leo XIV on 19 October 2025, in St. Peter’s Square.

Maria Troncatti was born on 16 February 1883, in Corteno Golgi, a mountain village in the province of Brescia, on the border between Valtellina and Val Camonica, Lombardy, to Giacomo Troncatti and Maria Rodondi. On 17 February,  in the parish of Santa Maria Assunta in Corteno, she was baptized as “Maria Benvenuta.”

At the end of the day of the Canonization, during Vespers an icon depicting Saint Maria Troncatti, written in prayer by Sister Randa Kortas, FMA, member of the Generalate Community, originally from Syria, was unveiled by Mother Chiara Cazzuola and blessed by the Rector Major, Father Fabio Attard, with spikenard oil.

The Word of God that was “incarnated” in the life of Sister Maria Troncatti, modeled on Jesus, refers to the Gospel of John: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (cf. Jn 15:13).

Union with Christ crucified through love resonates in her words: “At the feet of Jesus I take comfort; a glance at my crucifix around my neck gives me life and wings to work…” Sister Pierina Rusconi reports these words of Sister Maria, “These two races cannot be reconciled without a victim who offers herself for them. I ask you if you advise me to offer myself as a victim for this reconciliation.”

In this representation, the essential trait chosen to narrate the path to holiness that characterized Sister Maria Troncatti is her full configuration to the Crucified and Risen Christ, that is, to His Paschal Mystery. A mystery lived with Jesus, for Him, and like Him, offering herself as a victim for reconciliation and peace between the settlers and the Shuar. Furthermore, this icon reflects the three characteristics chosen in preparation for her canonization: mother, missionary, and artisan of reconciliation and peace.

In the drawing two invisible lines cross: a vertical line, the “central axis”, which starts from above, passes through the central person and crosses with the horizontal line, at the level of the hands of our Saint and together they form a cross; the divine will that comes from Above and the human response that comes from the Saint.

The representation of Sister Maria Troncatti

Her hand gestures are very important and full of meaning. Her outstretched hand represents her surrender to God’s will and her offering of herself as a victim for reconciliation and peace. In her other hand, she holds and clings to the cross proper to a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians.

Hers is a large Cross, which represents on the one hand her evangelizing work, that is, her as a missionary who proclaimed the love of Jesus with her words and with her life, “hardworking hands.” She not only cured illnesses and infirmities of the body, but above all those of the soul and spirit, with the medicine of forgiveness and love that conquers all hatred and revenge.

On the other hand, she herself—located at the center—presents herself as a remedy for the hatred and violence between the two races (Shuar and settlers) and offers herself, following the example of Christ, as a victim of reconciliation and peace between them, to eliminate hatred and revenge with the medicine of love and forgiveness. The Saint is dressed in blue, a sign of heaven. God has welcomed her into His new home, the kingdom of heaven.

The two men represent the two races: the Shuar and the Colonists. Both gaze at the cross, drawn by the sanctity of this Madrecita who proclaimed God’s love, and they hold hands as a sign of reconciliation and peace, which truly came about miraculously! In the other hand, they hold a tool used for living, cutting, fishing, and defending themselves. They are dressed in the colors red, pink, and green: red, as a sign of God’s love, touched through the heart and hands of Sister Maria Troncatti. Green is a sign of the new life received in Christ and of renewed hope, which transcends the loss of their Madrecita, because they recognize in her their Saint, who will always be with them and for them!

The representation takes place inside the forest, so that all nature participates in her holiness.

At the top, the golden background represents the second dimension of the Paschal Mystery, the symbol of the Resurrection. The Saint is enveloped in divine light.

The open heaven is the place of the presence of the Trinitarian God, where the Virgin Mary appears with the Child. From there, Sister Maria received light and help, drew strength and support for her mission, especially in the most delicate and decisive moments of her life, in the darkest moments of her existence. She certainly drew her spiritual motherhood from Mary, a motherhood fruitful in generating life, faith, and the Church, in being children of God.

The rainbow is the symbol of heaven’s response, of God the Father who accepted her offering and embraced her with His infinite love. This sign occurred in heaven on the day of her death.

The mountains are the place of God’s revelation. Sister Maria is embraced by two mountains which represent God’s embrace.

At the bottom, the Upano River is the mission space where she lived, worked, risked her life, facing dangers of every kind. The forest is the mission site, transformed by her missionary heart.

Sister Maria’s missionary heart was ignited by the fire of the Holy Spirit, which made it so passionate that it created, with various shades of color, a warm, bright, and joyful atmosphere that even made the trees of the forest dance.

And behold, the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador is transformed into a “forest homeland of the heart” and an “oasis of peace,” of hope, of joy, and of holiness!

On 16 February 2026, this icon will be displayed in the chapel of the Generalate of the FMA Institute in Rome, and the Community of Mary Help of Christians, together with Mother Chiara Cazzuola and the General Councilors, will pray to Saint Mary Troncatti for reconciliation among peoples. Communities around the world are invited to join in prayer for the same intention.