Tekla Famiglietti

Maria Tekla Famiglietti, O.Ss.S. (* December 23, 1936 in Avellino ; † March 3, 2020 in Rome ), was an Italian nun in the "Swedish branch" of the Order of the Redeemer founded by Elisabeth Hesselblad . She was Abbess General of the Order of the Birgittins for a total of 37 years from 1981 until she resigned from office at the age of 80 in 2016 .

She grew up in a village near Naples and entered the Order at the age of 13. Tekla Famiglietti was particularly committed to the ecumenical movement during her long term as abbess, which was given to her for life with special permission from the Pope . For this purpose, the order offered a chapel under their leadership in the Piazza Farnese . A now already traditional annual singing Swedish Christmas songs in Swedish pastries on Boxing Day , Boxing Day, she initiated. In addition, other monasteries were founded, which she achieved through personal contact with Fidel Castro in Cuba .

Familiglietti was a deeply religious Catholic with traditional beliefs. In 2005 Pope John Paul II decided to found a peace center in Jerusalem and asked them to make it happen. She had a close relationship with the Pope and was present at his deathbed.

She is buried in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Damaso .

Honors

Order of the Marienland Cross (III class) of the Republic of Estonia (2006)

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Susanne Finner: Mother Tekla is dead: friend of Pope John Paul II and Fidel Castro died , Catholic News Agency (CNA German), March 5, 2020; accessed March 5, 2020
^ Madre Tekla amica di Giovanni Paolo II e Castro è tornata alla casa del Padre Acistampa.com
↑ Jason Berry: Mother Tekla: The Most Powerful Woman in Rome . In: Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting . March 5, 2013.
↑ CNN.com - A pope's last request: 'Read me the Bible' - Apr 10, 2006 . In: www.cnn.com . Retrieved March 4, 2020.
↑ Eesti Tänab 2005–2006, Estonian

personal data
SURNAME	Famiglietti, Tekla
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Famiglietti, Maria Tekla
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Italian Abbess General
DATE OF BIRTH	December 23, 1936
PLACE OF BIRTH	Avellino
DATE OF DEATH	March 3, 2020
Place of death	Rome

[CNA-1] Susanne Finner: Mother Tekla is dead: friend of Pope John Paul II and Fidel Castro died , Catholic News Agency (CNA German), March 5, 2020; accessed March 5, 2020

[2] Madre Tekla amica di Giovanni Paolo II e Castro è tornata alla casa del Padre Acistampa.com

[Berry-3] Jason Berry: Mother Tekla: The Most Powerful Woman in Rome . In: Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting . March 5, 2013.

[4] CNN.com - A pope's last request: 'Read me the Bible' - Apr 10, 2006 . In: www.cnn.com . Retrieved March 4, 2020.

[5] Eesti Tänab 2005–2006, Estonian