Barbara Avrillot was born in Paris in 1566 to Nicholas Avrillot and Marie Lhuillier, both from prominent families. Her father served as the accountant general for the Chamber of Paris and as chancellor to Queen Margaret of Valois. Barbara was educated as a border with the Poor Clares of Longchamps, and wanted to join them, but her mother had arranged a marriage for her beautiful sixteen-year old daughter with the wealthiest man in Paris, Pierre Acarie. Barbara consented to the marriage, which proved to be a happy one with six children. Barbara's spirituality sometimes disturbed her husband, who remarked that it was no small penance being married to a woman of such holiness. It is said that Barbara went into ecstasy during the birth of her sixth child. In fact, her frequent ecstasies frightened him so much that he and his mother sought the counsel of a prominent Carthusian, who defended Barbara. Their home became a center of Catholic discussion and comraderie for both laity and religious, including the future Cardinal Berulle, the son of one of Barbara's cousins, and the future saints Vincent de Paul and Francis de Sales, who served as Barbara's spiritual director for a short time. This fervent Catholic life was due in part to the political situation in France at the time. Pierre was a member of a group of militant Frenchmen known as The Catholic League, who opposed the succession of Henry Navarre, a Huguenot (Protestant), after the death of Henry III. Although never engaging in any violent activities himself, he generously lent much of his fortune to some members of the League. When Henry IV (Henry of Navarre) exiled him from the city of Paris, the disaster of her husband's debts fell to Barbara. She wisely placed her four oldest children in boarding schools, and the youngest two with relatives. Barbara lived with her cousin Madame Berulle during some of these years, along with her maid, a friend from the convent who never left her side. She was reduced to selling the family jewels among other things to buy bread for them both. To make matters worse, when attempting to visit her husband who was living with the Carthusians forty-five miles from Paris, Barbara fell off her horse and broke her hip, the first of three accidents that left her permanently lame. But these terrible trials lasted only five years. Pierre's sentence of exile was lifted, his fortune restored, and the family reunited in the same home. Once again their home became a center of Catholic life.
In 1601, not long after the death of St. Teresa of Avila in 1582, news of St. Teresa had reached France in the form of a biography. After beginning to read the biography, St. Teresa appeared to Barbara telling her that God had chosen her to help bring the reformed Carmelites into France. Barbara sought counsel, and was advised to wait. Eight months later, St. Teresa appeared to her again, assuring her that all difficulties would be overcome. Barbara immediately began by receiving and training postulants in her own home. St. Francis de Sales assisted her in obtaining permission from the Pope to establish a convent of Carmelite nuns under the jurisdiction of secular clergy since there were no Carmelite friars in France at that time. Cardinal Berulle and some women of the nobility went in person to meet six Spanish Carmelites who had known St. Teresa, among whom was the Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew, who had been St. Teresa's nurse and had assisted her at her death. In 1604, six Spanish Carmelites entered the city of Paris in solemn procession and took up residence at Rue de St. Jacques, near the Luxumbourg Palace. Before her death twelve years later, fourteen Teresian Carmels had been established in France.
After the death of her husband in 1613, Barbara entered the Carmel of Amiens, where one of her three Carmelite daughters served as subprioress. She took the name Marie of the Incarnation, insisting on remaining a humble lay sister of the white veil. Only five years after the death of her husband, Sr. Mary of the Incarnation died at the Carmel of Pontoise on Wednesday of Easter Week, April 18, 1618. She was beatified in 1791. Her son Pierre opened her cause for beatification as miracles began soon after her death.
It is said that more biographies have been written on Madame Acarie than any other saint. She was an exemplary wife and mother, a mystic who from the age of twenty-seven had the invisible stigmata, a founder and then a nun. She established the Ursulines in Paris for girls who were not called to live in the cloister, who had teaching abilities. She assisted clergy in her own home, giving them hospitality during illness and a place to convalesce, and provided vestments for missionaries. She established a refuge for prostitutes who wanted to reform their lives, and she assisted the poor in many ways.
In 1601, not long after the death of St. Teresa of Avila in 1582, news of St. Teresa had reached France in the form of a biography. After beginning to read the biography, St. Teresa appeared to Barbara telling her that God had chosen her to help bring the reformed Carmelites into France. Barbara sought counsel, and was advised to wait. Eight months later, St. Teresa appeared to her again, assuring her that all difficulties would be overcome. Barbara immediately began by receiving and training postulants in her own home. St. Francis de Sales assisted her in obtaining permission from the Pope to establish a convent of Carmelite nuns under the jurisdiction of secular clergy since there were no Carmelite friars in France at that time. Cardinal Berulle and some women of the nobility went in person to meet six Spanish Carmelites who had known St. Teresa, among whom was the Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew, who had been St. Teresa's nurse and had assisted her at her death. In 1604, six Spanish Carmelites entered the city of Paris in solemn procession and took up residence at Rue de St. Jacques, near the Luxumbourg Palace. Before her death twelve years later, fourteen Teresian Carmels had been established in France.
After the death of her husband in 1613, Barbara entered the Carmel of Amiens, where one of her three Carmelite daughters served as subprioress. She took the name Marie of the Incarnation, insisting on remaining a humble lay sister of the white veil. Only five years after the death of her husband, Sr. Mary of the Incarnation died at the Carmel of Pontoise on Wednesday of Easter Week, April 18, 1618. She was beatified in 1791. Her son Pierre opened her cause for beatification as miracles began soon after her death.
It is said that more biographies have been written on Madame Acarie than any other saint. She was an exemplary wife and mother, a mystic who from the age of twenty-seven had the invisible stigmata, a founder and then a nun. She established the Ursulines in Paris for girls who were not called to live in the cloister, who had teaching abilities. She assisted clergy in her own home, giving them hospitality during illness and a place to convalesce, and provided vestments for missionaries. She established a refuge for prostitutes who wanted to reform their lives, and she assisted the poor in many ways.