Mariam Soulakiotis (1883-1954)
Mother Superior Mariam Soulakiotis, also known as The Woman Rasputin, was a Greek Orthodox abbess and serial killer who was active between 1939 and 1951. Greek authorities indicted her in 1951 on charges including murder, fraud, forgery of wills, blackmail and torture. She was sentenced to life in prison and died in Averoff Prison in 1954. She committed her crimes in the Peukovounogiatrissas Monastery near Keratea, Greece. Some members of the monastery believe she is innocent to this day. Soulakiotis was an avid Old Calendarist and follower of the Matthewite sect, which the mainstream Greek Orthodox Church descries. Together with Archbishop Matthew Karpathakis of Besthena, she founded the monastery in 1927. After the death of Abp. Matthew, Soulakiotis succeeded him as abbot.
Soulakiotis encouraged wealthy women to join the convent, then tortured them until they agreed to donate their fortunes to the monastery. Once the money was obtained, Soulakiotis embezzled it and often killed the donor. It has been reported that at the time of her arrest she had obtained over 300 properties across Greece in this manner along with “gold and jewels worth thousands of pounds.” She also demanded strict adherence to ascetic practices among those in the convent, which police believe led to the unnecessary deaths of 150 children from tuberculosis. Victims of Soulakiotis alleged torture, starvation, false imprisonment and beatings. Soulakiotis denied all allegations until her death, calling them “Satanic fictions”.
