Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jun 27, 2016 / 16:03 pm
Pictures of a young Argentinian nun – smiling and serene though dying from a devastating battle with cancer – have erupted on social media, with thousands sharing the images and heartfelt prayers.
Sister Cecilia Maria lived in Saints Teresa and Joseph Monastery in Santa Fe, Argentina, dedicated to prayer and the contemplative life.
She passed away early on June 23 at age 42.
After graduating as a nurse at 26 years of age, Sister Cecilia Maria made her first vows as a discalced Carmelite. In 2003, she made her final profession. Six months ago, she was diagnosed with cancer of the tongue and the disease metastasized into her lungs.
In her time living at the monastery, she played the violin and was known for her sweetness and constant smile. In the final weeks of her illness, her condition worsened and she had to be hospitalized. From her bed she never stopped praying and offering up her sufferings with the certainty that her encounter with God was near.