Catherine Tekakwitha was born in 1656 along the Mohawk River in present day United States. She died in odour of sanctity on April 17, 1680 at the Sault Saint Louis in Canada. Soon after her death, her face was suddenly transfigured to become so beautiful from the disappearance of the scars of smallpox. In 1684, Catherine Tekakwitha's relic was brought into the chapel of Saint Francis Xavier and she was the first in the Americas to be given this honour. She became known after her death from the miracles brought by her intercession. These two basic works on the life of Catherine Tekakwitha are from the French Jesuit missionaries Claude Chauchetiere and Pierre Cholenec. They were the only two missionaries who wrote and witnessed her death. Also, inserts have been included from their letters and collections of Catherine Tekakwitha. These letters and collections have contributed to a most complete history of what had been written of her during her life and after her death. About the cover: Catherine Tekakwitha would sit at the foot of the cross with two other Native girls to talk about how they should lead their lives in accordance with Christ. I chose to place her name beneath the cross to illustrate this. I selected the background red colour because she would often wear a red blanket to cover herself from the light.
