Background

Mother Superior Mariam Soulakiotis was a nun who allegedly killed 177 men and women at the Keratea convent, and embezzled the dowries of wealthy women who joined. She led the Old Calendarist Sect, which is separate from the Greek Orthodox Church due to its practices. Soulakiotis strictly imposed abstinence and fasting among the members of the convent, leading to many deaths, both youths and adults alike. She was able to continue with her horrific practices for ten years, aided by her insistence that new followers had to completely cut off contact with anyone from their previous 'sinful' lives. Eventually, her evil actions caught up with her when the daughter of a recent convert went to the police, after discovering that her mother had transferred ownership of her property to the convent. Police carried out a large scale raid on the convent in 1950 and subsequently arrested the nun for her shocking crimes. Over 170 bodies were recovered throughout the convent grounds. She received life in prison in 1952, dying two years later.