Marianna Fontanella was born in Turin on 7th of January 1661 to the family of the Counts of Fontanella. Her mother came from the Tana di Chieri, «related in the second and third degree to Blessed Luigi Gonzaga».
Marianna spent a peaceful childhood, surrounded by the affection of her parents and siblings, in a stately and comfortable environment, of solid Christian principles. At the age of about eight, orphaned by her father, she was struck by a serious illness that carried her to close death, but she recovered by the miraculous intervention of the Virgin. Marianna turned out to be a very lively child, full of life and the desire to live, very sensitive and affectionate, curious to discover and experience the reality surrounding her and, at the same time, attracted and fascinated by the mystery of God.
In the autumn of 1672 she entered the Cistercian Monastery of Stella in Rifredo di Saluzzo and spent about a year and a half there. In early January 1675 she returned to her family.
On November 19, 1676, Marianna, not yet sixteen, was accepted after numerous difficulties, into the Carmel of Santa Cristina in Turin, taking the name of Sister Maria of the Angels. There, while still very young, she was to be in charge of the formation of novices. On December 26, 1677, Marianna was finally able to make her religious profession. Frequent ecstasies commenced from 1682, which often took place in public and humiliated her deeply, because she felt she was a poor sinner. In 1694 at the age of thirty-three, with a dispensation from the Holy See, she was elected prioress. In 1696 Sister Maria obtained the proclamation of St. Joseph as co-patron of Turin. It was to him that she dedicated the new Monastery.
In 1703 Sister Maria founded the Carmel of Moncalieri, which she desired so strongly to welcome young women who could not be received in Turin.
On 16 December she died in Turin.
The beatification ceremony was held on April 25, 1865.
