# Maria Laura Mainetti

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Maria_Laura_Mainetti
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Maria_Laura_Mainetti.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Laura_Mainetti
> Source revision: 1302947298
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Maria Laura Mainetti** (born **Teresina Elsa Mainetti**; 20 August 1939 – 6 June 2000) was an Italian [religious sister](/source/Religious_sister) of the [Sisters of the Cross](/source/Sisters_of_the_Cross,_Sisters_of_St._Andrew). Mother superior of a [convent](/source/Convent) in [Chiavenna](/source/Chiavenna) that specialised in helping juvenile delinquents, she was stabbed to death in a [satanic](/source/Satanism) [sacrifice](/source/Human_sacrifice) by three teenage girls on the night of 6 June 2000. Mainetti's death was declared a [martyrdom](/source/Martyrdom) by the [Congregation for the Causes of Saints](/source/Congregation_for_the_Causes_of_Saints) in 2020, and she was [beatified](/source/Beatification) on 6 June 2021, the twenty-first anniversary of her murder.

## Life

Teresina Elsa Mainetti was born on 20 August 1939 in [Villatico](/source/Villatico),[1] a [frazione](/source/Frazione) of [Colico](/source/Colico), [Lecco](/source/Lecco), Italy, and was baptised two days later. She was the tenth and last child born to Marcellina Gusmeroli (who died when Teresina was 12 days old) and Stefano Mainetti.[2]

She attended the [Istituto Magistrale](/source/Istituto_Magistrale) run by the [Sisters of the Cross](/source/Sisters_of_the_Cross,_Sisters_of_St._Andrew) in [Parma](/source/Parma), and decided to join the Sisters of the Cross after turning 18. Mainetti began her [postulancy](/source/Postulant) in Rome on 22 August 1957 and was admitted into the [novitiate](/source/Novitiate) in February 1958. On 15 August 1959, she made her first [vows](/source/Religious_vows) to live according to the [evangelical counsels](/source/Evangelical_counsels), taking the sister name Laura in honour of the late daughter of another sister. Mainetti made her final vows in [La Puye](/source/La_Puye) on 25 August 1964.[3][4]

After teaching at primary schools run by the Sisters of the Cross in [Vasto](/source/Vasto), Rome, Parma and [Chiavenna](/source/Chiavenna), she became [mother superior](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mother_superior) of a convent in Chiavenna specialising in providing help for juvenile delinquents.[3][4]

## Murder

Around 22:00 on 6 June 2000, Mainetti left her convent in Chiavenna and went to a local public square to meet a girl who had recently requested an appointment via telephone, claiming to have been raped and impregnated and to be considering an abortion.[5] There, Mainetti encountered the girl, Veronica Pietrobelli, and the latter's friends, Milena De Giambattista and Ambra Gianasso. The three girls, aged 16 and 17, lured Mainetti down a nearby street to a secluded area outside a park where they ambushed her, stoning and shouting abuse at her before taking turns in stabbing her with a kitchen knife that De Giambattista was carrying.[6] Mainetti prayed as she was being attacked, asking God to forgive the girls, before dying after having been stabbed 19 times.[7] Mainetti's body was found the next morning by a passerby.[8]

The girls were arrested on suspicion of the murder three weeks later, after two of them discussed what they had done in a telephone conversation—police had monitored the girls' telephones after a witness claimed to have seen them with Mainetti.[9][10] In custody, the girls initially said they killed the sister "for sport", later saying they killed her in a [satanic](/source/Satanism) [sacrifice](/source/Human_sacrifice). They told investigators they had initially wanted to kill the parish priest, but decided that Mainetti, who had previously taught them [catechism](/source/Catechism_of_the_Catholic_Church), would be an easier target;[9][10] and that their intention had been to stab the sister 18 times—6 times per girl, as per the [number of the beast](/source/Number_of_the_beast); the nineteenth stab wound was inflicted "by mistake".[11] After a [summary trial](/source/Summary_judgment) at the juvenile court of Milan on 9 August 2001, De Giambattista and Pietrobelli were convicted of murder and sentenced to 8 years and 6 months' imprisonment, with the court taking into account that they were partially [insane](/source/Insanity_defense) at the time of the crime; their sentences were later upheld by the city's appeal court. Gianasso, who was initially found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, was sentenced to 12 years and 4 months' imprisonment by the appeal court on 4 April 2002;[12] she was released on 17 January 2003 after the [Supreme Court of Cassation](/source/Supreme_Court_of_Cassation_(Italy)) failed to reach a verdict on an appeal she had filed,[13] before returning to prison six days later after the court upheld her sentence.[14]

By 2008, all three perpetrators had been released from prison after participating in [community service](/source/Community_service) programs.[15][16][17]

## Legacy and beatification

Mainetti's funeral on 9 June 2000 was attended by some 2,500 mourners.[18] On 23 October 2005, [Alessandro Maggiolini](/source/Alessandro_Maggiolini), Bishop of the [Diocese of Como](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Como), opened the diocesan phase of Mainetti's [beatification](/source/Beatification) process at the [Collegiate Church](/source/Collegiate_Church) of [Saint Lawrence](/source/Saint_Lawrence) in Chiavenna.[19]

On 20 March 2008, Maggiolini announced that the request for the initiation of Mainetti's beatification process had been approved.[20] The [Congregation for the Causes of Saints](/source/Congregation_for_the_Causes_of_Saints) declared her a [martyr](/source/Martyr),[21] eliminating the need for recognition of a [miracle](/source/Miracle).[22] The Congregation declared her a martyr again on 19 June 2020.[23][24] She was beatified on 6 June 2021, the twenty-first anniversary of her murder.[25][26]

On 26 February 2019, Mainetti's remains were exhumed from Chiavenna cemetery and placed in the Collegiate Church of Saint Lawrence.[27]

## References

1. Redazione (6 June 2021). ["Suor Maria Laura Mainetti è beata: "Una vita donata due volte""](https://lecconotizie.com/societa/mandello-societa/suor-maria-laura-mainetti-e-beata-una-vita-donata-due-volte/) (in it-IT). *Lecco Notizie*. Retrieved 6 June 2021.

1. ["Testimone d'Amore", Figlie della Croce](https://www.figliedellacroce.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Testimonianza_compressed.pdf)

1. ["Suor Maria Laura Mainetti"](https://www.figliedellacroce.it/suor-maria-laura-mainetti/) (in it-IT). *Figlie della Croce*. Retrieved 5 June 2021.

1. ["Storia"](http://beatasuormarialaura.it/storia/) (in it-IT). *Beata Suor Maria Laura*. Retrieved 5 June 2021.

1. "Le ragazze di Satana". [Delitti](/source/Delitti). [History](/source/History_(Italian_television_channel))

1. ["La killer di suor Maria "Averla uccisa mi ha salvato la vita""](https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/killer-suor-maria-averla-uccisa-mi-ha-salvato-vita.html) (in Italian). *ilGiornale.it*. 4 April 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2021.

1. ["Mentre la uccidevamo la suora pregava per noi"](https://www.repubblica.it/online/cronaca/suora/pregava/pregava.html). *la Repubblica*. 7 July 2000. Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. ["Suora uccisa a coltellate"](https://www.repubblica.it/online/cronaca/suora/suora/suora.html). *[la Repubblica](/source/La_Repubblica)*. 7 June 2000. Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. Carroll, Rory (1 July 2000). ["Girls confess to killing nun 'for sport'"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/jul/01/rorycarroll). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. [ISSN 0261-3077](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. Johnston, Bruce (2 July 2000). ["Bishop blames liberal society for girls' 'joke' killing of nun"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/1346280/Bishop-blames-liberal-society-for-girls-joke-killing-of-nun.html). *[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)*. [ISSN 0307-1235](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0307-1235). Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. ["A Satana bastavano 18 coltellate"](https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2000/07/08/satana-bastavano-18-coltellate.html) (in Italian). *la Repubblica*. 8 July 2000. Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. ["Omicidio di Chiavenna, condannate le tre ragazze"](https://www.repubblica.it/online/cronaca/suora/condannate/condannate.html). *la Reppublica*. 4 April 2002. Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. ["Suora uccisa, scarcerata una delle ragazze killer"](https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2003/01/18/suora-uccisa-scarcerata-una-delle-ragazze-killer.html) (in Italian). *la Repubblica*. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. ["Ambra torna in carcere"](https://www.repubblica.it/online/cronaca/suora/ambra/ambra.html). *la Repubblica*. 23 January 2003. Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. ["Esce una delle killer della suora"](https://www.repubblica.it/2006/08/sezioni/cronaca/killer-chiavenna/killer-chiavenna/killer-chiavenna.html). *la Repubblica*. Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. ["Milena in comunità"](https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2006/05/05/omicidio-mainetti-milena-in-comunita.html) (in Italian). *la Repubblica*. 5 May 2006. Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. Giliberti, Luigina (11 December 2007). ["Uccisero una suora. Fuori l'ultima ragazza."](https://www.corriere.it/cronache/07_dicembre_11/delitto_suora_chiavenna_fuori_ambra_623f2246-a7b1-11dc-9708-0003ba99c53b.shtml). *[Corriere della Sera](/source/Corriere_della_Sera)*. Retrieved 10 November 2019.

1. ["Il vescovo piange per la suora uccisa"](https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2000/06/10/il-vescovo-piange-per-la-suora-uccisa.html) (in Italian). *Archivio – la Repubblica.it*. 10 June 2000. Retrieved 6 June 2021.

1. ["La suora uccisa da tre ragazze sarà santa"](https://web.archive.org/web/20191112150141/https://ricerca.gelocal.it/gazzettadireggio/archivio/gazzettadireggio/2005/10/24/EA5PO_N5A03.html) (in Italian). *[Gazzetta di Reggio](/source/Gazzetta_di_Reggio)*. 23 October 2005. Archived from [the original](https://ricerca.gelocal.it/gazzettadireggio/archivio/gazzettadireggio/2005/10/24/EA5PO_N5A03.html) on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.

1. ["Suora uccisa, sì al processo di beatificazione"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160101221111/http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2008/marzo/21/Suora_uccisa_processo_beatificazione_co_9_080321129.shtml). *Corriere della Sera*. 21 March 2008. Archived from [the original](http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2008/marzo/21/Suora_uccisa_processo_beatificazione_co_9_080321129.shtml) on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2019.

1. ["Pope speaks about religious sister who was killed by Satanists"](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/12285/pope-speaks-about-religious-sister-who-was-killed-by-satanists). *[Catholic News Agency](/source/Catholic_News_Agency)*. 9 April 2008. Retrieved 12 November 2019.

1. ["Suora uccisa, fu un martirio la beatificazione sarà più rapida"](https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2008/03/22/suora-uccisa-fu-un-martirio-la-beatificazione.html) (in Italian). *la Repubblica*. 22 March 2008. Retrieved 12 November 2019.

1. Morandotti, Lorenzo (19 June 2020). ["Suor Maria Laura Mainetti, riconosciuto il martirio"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200626224933/https://www.corrieredicomo.it/suor-maria-laura-mainetti-riconosciuto-il-martirio/) (in it-IT). *Corriere di Como*. Archived from [the original](https://www.corrieredicomo.it/suor-maria-laura-mainetti-riconosciuto-il-martirio/) on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.

1. ["Sarà beata suor Maria Laura Mainetti, uccisa venti anni fa da tre ragazze per un rito satanico"](https://milano.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/06/20/news/suora_maria_laura_mainetti_chiavenna_omicidio_beata-259716507/) (in Italian). *la Repubblica*. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.

1. ["Suor Maria Laura Mainetti proclamata beata: venne uccisa da tre ragazze "nel nome di Satana""](https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2021/06/06/suor-maria-laura-mainetti-proclamata-beata-venne-uccisa-da-tre-ragazze-nel-nome-di-satana/6221840/) (in it-IT). *Il Fatto Quotidiano*. 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.

1. Gerosa, Barbara (6 June 2021). ["Suor Maria Laura Mainetti, è beata la religiosa uccisa da tre ragazze "in nome di Satana""](https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/21_giugno_06/suor-maria-laura-mainetti-beata-religiosa-uccisa-tre-ragazze-in-nome-satana-673ddb0a-c6d0-11eb-82e4-654726b05a64.shtml) (in Italian). *Corriere della Sera*. Retrieved 6 June 2021.

1. ["Serva di Dio. Il corpo di suor Mainetti traslato nella "sua" chiesa a Chiavenna"](https://www.avvenire.it/chiesa/pagine/suor-mainetti-traslazione-sondrio) (in Italian). *Avvenire*. 12 March 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Maria Laura Mainetti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Laura_Mainetti) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Laura_Mainetti?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.