St. Alexandrina of Balazar was a 20th-century Portuguese mystic and victim soul, bedridden for most of her life, who united her intense physical suffering with Christ’s Passion and lived for years solely on the Eucharist.
St. Alexandrina Maria da Costa was born on March 30, 1904, in Balazar, Portugal, into a poor farming family. Her early life was shaped by simplicity, devotion, and a deep love for Jesus and Mary. At the age of 14, her life changed forever when she jumped from a window to escape an attempted assault, causing a spinal injury that eventually left her completely paralyzed.
Though her physical health declined, her spiritual life flourished. Alexandrina embraced her immobility as a way to participate in the sufferings of Christ. She offered her pain for the salvation of souls, especially for the conversion of sinners and for peace in the world. Her union with Jesus became so intense that she experienced visions, ecstasies, and mystical phenomena—particularly during the weekly reliving of Christ’s Passion every Friday.
From 1942 until her death in 1955, Alexandrina lived without any food except for the Holy Eucharist. Multiple medical investigations confirmed her condition, though her faith and the mystery of her life could not be explained by science alone. This miraculous survival was understood as a special grace and a divine sign pointing to the power of the Eucharist.
Alexandrina became a spiritual guide and inspiration to thousands, including her confessor and future Cardinal, Blessed Mariano da Silva. Despite being confined to her bed, she constantly wrote letters, received visitors, and spread the message of total consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
Her suffering, humility, and unwavering trust in God gained international attention, and she was visited by people seeking counsel and healing. Alexandrina died peacefully on October 13, 1955, the anniversary of the final apparition at Fatima—a connection seen by many as providential.
She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2004, who held her up as a model of Eucharistic love and redemptive suffering.