For the letter 'V', I will share the story of a saintly woman from a distant part of the world. Blessed Victoria Rasomanarivo was born in the capital city of Antananarivo, Madagascar in 1848. At that time, this area of Madagascar was ruled by a powerful Queen, Ranavalona I. Victoria's Grandfather was her Prime Minister.
Victoria was educated by Jesuit missionaries and the Saint Joseph Sisters. She was baptized, in opposition to her family's wishes, at the age of 15. She wanted to join the Sisters, but at the age of 17 she was married to her cousin. Her husband was an alcoholic and abused her. Despite her unhappy marriage, Victoria refused divorce in the hope of her husband's conversion. She baptized him herself on his deathbed following an accident.
Victoria persevered in her Catholic faith even when the Catholic Missionaries were expelled from the region. From her position as a relative to the royal family, she protected her fellow Catholics. She managed to keep the Catholic Schools and Churches open, encouraged young lay Catholics through the Catholic Union, supported liturgical practice in the absence of pastors and cared for the poor and lepers. When missionaries returned in 1886, they found a vibrant Church of 21,000 Catholics. Because of what she did to sustain the Church during this period, Bl. Victoria is known as the Mother of the Malagasy Church.
Bl. Victoria died in 1894 at the age of 46. Her feast day is August 21.
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