Saint of September 1: Isabel Cristina Mrad Campos. Catholic Santoral

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Beata Isabel Cristina Mrad Campos every September 1, known as the martyr of chastity.

“This young woman was killed in 1982, at twenty, for hate to faith, for having defended her dignity as a woman and the value of chastity. That her heroic example can stimulate young people to give a testimony of faith and adhesion to the gospel,” said Pope Francis during the Angelus, the day after the beatification of Isabel Cristina, in December 2022.

Isabel Cristina Mrad Campos was born on July 29, 1962 in Barbacena (Brazil), daughter of José Mendes Campos and Helena Mrad Campos. Since his adolescence he was part of the Volunteer Association of the Conferences of São Vicente, and his father was president of the Central Council of Barbacena. Blessed frequently participated in Mass and sacraments.

In 1982, Isabel Cristina, who wanted to study medicine, moved to Juiz de Fora (Brazil) in order to perform a pre -university course. His dream was to become a pediatrician to help poor children.

From the beginning, according to the website postulazionecausesanti.it“He found in the new city a place to study, but above all to pray in the church of the Cenacle, where the Blessed Sacrament was exposed.”

That same year, he was preparing a small apartment he had moved with his brother, Paulo Roberto Mrad Campos. On September 1, a man who went to set up a closet tried to rape her, but Isabel resisted.

Before his resistance, the man hit him in the head with a chair, tied it, gagged her and torn her clothes. As she did not yield, the aggressor led to him 15 stabs, committing a murder.

In October 2020, Pope Francis recognized the martyrdom of Isabel Cristina, who died to defend his chastity. It was beatified on December 10, 2022, at a Mass held in his hometown, Barbacena.