Maria Petyt

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Maria Petyt (also Petijt or Petiyt) lived from January 1, 1623, to November 1, 1677. She was known as a great mystic of the Carmelite tradition.

She was born in Hazebrouck, in the area of Flanders near Dunkirk, to parents who owned a fabric shop. Her life had many losses: two sisters died young, another died as a teenager, and her half-brother Ignace drowned. She survived smallpox at age eight, which left her with facial marks, but she remained a cheerful child.

At age 10 she vowed to become a nun. In 1640 she spent some time with Augustinian sisters in Ghent but could not join because her poor eyesight made it hard to read prayers. She then joined the Carmelite Third Order and took the name Marie of Saint Theresa.

In 1642 she entered the Beguinage of Ghent and made vows of obedience and chastity. In 1646 her spiritual director, Michael of St. Augustine, encouraged her to live more quietly as a solitary monk of prayer. In October 1657 she moved to the beguinage in Mechelen near the Carmelite church and began a life of study and writing. In 1659 she took the vow of poverty and renewed her other vows. She read many spiritual authors, including John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, John of Ruusbroec, Eckhart, and John Tauler.

Around 1662 her director asked her to write about her mystical experiences. The result was La vie de Marie Petyt (The Life of Maria Petyt), published after her death. She died in Mechelen on November 1, 1677 and was buried there.

During the French Revolution the convent was closed and later destroyed; her tomb was found empty, and some researchers believe her body was moved to a safer place. She is honored by the Catholic Church as venerable and is regarded as a Carmelite mystic.