Private nursing work in New York City eventually redirected the career of Maria Elizabeth Hesselblad from medical care toward a lifetime of religious service. Born in Fåglavik in 1870, this Swedish nurse relocated to the United States in 1888 to train at Roosevelt Hospital, where exposure to the Catholic faith fundamentally changed her life trajectory and objectives.
Conversion and Religious Vows
After years of study and prayer, Hesselblad entered the Catholic Church in 1902 at the Georgetown Visitation Monastery in Washington, D.C. She subsequently moved to Rome, where the history of Saint Bridget of Sweden inspired her to pursue religious life. Despite suffering from persistent health issues, she obtained special permission from Pope Pius X in 1906 to profess religious vows according to the rule established by Saint Bridget.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Founding the Bridgettine Sisters
Seeking to blend contemplative prayer with the active nursing of the sick, Hesselblad established a new congregation in 1911 with three English women. She expanded the community significantly, establishing a house in her Swedish homeland at Djursholm in 1923 and obtaining a permanent site in Rome in 1931. By 1937, the order reached India, eventually securing canonical approval from the Holy See on 7 July 1940.
Wartime Humanitarianism and Later Life
During the Second World War, Hesselblad emerged as a protector for those targeted by racial persecution. She utilized her position to save more than sixty Jewish individuals from the Holocaust. Her later years were marked by ongoing charitable work and efforts to promote peace. She died in Rome on 24 April 1957, having been recognized as a significant figure in religious history.
Posthumous Recognition
The Vatican initiated the formal process for her sainthood in 1987. Pope John Paul II declared her a Venerable Servant of God in 1999 and beatified her in 2000. Yad Vashem recognized her as Righteous Among the Nations in 2004 for her wartime rescue efforts. Pope Francis completed the canonization process at Saint Peter's Square on 5 June 2016.
Fast facts
- Born: 4 June 1870, Fåglavik, Sweden
- Died: 24 April 1957, Rome
- Occupation: Nurse, nun, founder
- Righteous Among the Nations: 2004
- Beatified: 9 April 2000
- Canonized: 5 June 2016
- Citizenship: Sweden
Questions readers ask
What was the mission of Hesselblad's order?
The Bridgettine Sisters focused on nursing the sick and praying for the conversion of Scandinavian people to the Catholic Church.
Why was she honored by Yad Vashem?
She was designated Righteous Among the Nations for saving over sixty Jewish lives during the Holocaust.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 2004
- Worked as nurse, nun and founder of Catholic religious community
