Marie of Oignies was a 12th-century Beguine and Christian mystic born in Nivelles, located in modern-day Belgium. Eschewing the traditional cloistered life of nuns, she practiced a form of devotion characterized by intense asceticism, manual labor, and profound mystical experiences. Alongside her husband, Jean de Nivelle, who took a vow of celibacy to support her spiritual path, she dedicated herself to serving lepers. Her life and unique spiritual gifts were famously documented by her confessor, Jacques de Vitry, whose writings helped establish the legitimacy of the Beguine movement.