Marie de Miramion

Marie de Miramion, born Marie Bonneau de Rubelle, inherited immense wealth upon the death of her husband in 1645. The young widow was a target for noble fortune hunters, but she successfully resisted a second marriage and turned to charitable work. As a member of the prestigious Dames de la Charité in Paris, she established a number of foundations, including a refuge for orphaned girls and a workshop for young women; she also funded dozens of schools around the country. In 1661, she established and resided in a community of secular-religious women, the Sainte-Famille, whose purpose was to serve the poor and the infirm. In 1670, the Sainte-Famille merged with a similar organization with Marie de Miramion’s financial support; this new community, officially called the Filles de Sainte-Geneviève, became known as the Miramionnes.