NOAILLAT, MARTHE de. - Marta Devuns, apostle of devotion to Christ the King, b. at Crotoy (Somme) on 26 Nov. 1865, d. at Paray-le-Monial on 5 Feb. 1926.
Convinced, after no brief trial, that she was not called to religious life, she devoted herself to varied activity: 5 years of humble apostolate at Nevers; 4 of educational apostolate at Auteuil, as director of the Bossuet courses; 7 of social apostolate, as propagandist for the «Ligue patriotique des Françaises». Having married Giorgio de N., director of the Héron (Museum of the Sacred Heart) at Paray-le-Monial, she resumed with him the idea, already put forward by the Jesuit Fr. P. Sanna Solaro but then stalled, of obtaining the feast of the Kingship of Christ; she therefore drafted memorials and gathered the signatures of bishops, assisted by the propaganda of the «Apostolato della preghiera». The path was long; but finally N. was able to attend the first Mass of the feast of Christ the King, celebrated by Pio XI on 31 Dec. 1925. The following year M. de N. died.