Sister Rani Maria Vattalil

Rani Maria Vattalil, FCC (29 January 1954 – 25 February 1995), was a devoted Indian Catholic religious sister and social worker of the Franciscan Clarists, dedicated to the Diocese of Indore. A Syro-Malabar Eastern Catholic, she passionately engaged in catechetical formation and education, advocating for social justice until her tragic murder by those opposed to her efforts to aid the poor. After her passing, her cause for canonization was opened, culminating in her beatification in Indore on 4 November 2017. Born in Kerala, India, as the second of seven children to Paily and Eliswa Vattalil, Rani Maria was baptized on 5 February 1954. She joined the Franciscan Clarist Congregation after completing her secondary education, taking the religious name Rani Maria. She made her first profession on 1 May 1974 and later served as a teacher and coordinator of social activities in various locations