DAYTON, Ohio ( WDTN ) — Nearly 20 years after the death of a nun native to Dayton, a relic from the site of her murder will be making its way to Rome.
Sister Dorothy Stang was a member of the Sister of Notre Dame de Namur. She was an outspoken activist against the deforestation of the Amazon Rain Forest, where she was killed 20 years ago.
In February of 2005, after living in Brazil for over 40 years and becoming a naturalized citizen, Sister Dorothy was murdered while doing mission work for families living in federally sanctioned land that was protected from deforestation.
Some of the soil from the spot she was killed was kept by one of her friends for two decades, and is now considered a relic by the Catholic church. The soil will be taken to Rome next year, along with her sweater which was worn by Sister Rebecca during Dorothy’s murder trial.
The pieces will be displayed alongside other examples of martyrdom at the Sanctuary of New Martyrs in early January. She will be the first woman from the United States to be included among others in the sanctuary.