Career
She is a Catholic saint. Her cult, which began immediately after her death, was approved by Pope Innocent XII in 1692. She is invoked especially against shipwreck and is generally represented with a ship in her hand.
Her feast is celebrated on 25 September.
On account of her charity towards the needy she began to be called Maria de Socos (Mary of Help). She was a daughter of a Spanish nobleman named William de Cervellon.
In 1265 she joined a little community of pious women who lived near the monastery of the Mercedarians and spent their lives in prayer and good works under the direction of Bernard de Corbarie. They obtained permission to constitute a Third Order of Our Lady of Ransom (de Mercede) and to wear the habit of the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Ransom.
In addition to the usual vows of tertiaries, they promised to pray for the Christian slaves.
Mary was elected the first superior.