At just 22 years old, Meritxell Abadia (Mery), an advertising and marketing student, has launched MerydeMaría, a jewelry brand founded with a purpose: to bring people closer to God through beauty, social media, and pieces blessed at various Marian shrines.
Her story is intertwined with that of her own conversion. Although she grew up in a Catholic family, Mery says her faith was superficial. Adolescence, personal problems, and a few relationships led her to drift away from God until she hit rock bottom. It was then, one morning, that she entered the church in her town with her mother and grandmother. There, before the Blessed Sacrament, she experienced a peace she hadn’t felt in years.
«I felt that God was waiting for me behind the church and saying to me, »You’re finally here,’” she recalls. Since then, Meritxell has shared how she began to heal, to leave behind environments that weren’t good for her, and to trust in God. From that experience came MerydeMaría, a project that aims to put his knowledge and creativity to work in the service of evangelization. «I am the hands, but they are the true driving force behind all of this,» he says, referring to God and the Virgin Mary.
In this interview, Meritxell talks about her conversion, the founding of MerydeMaría, and her understanding of evangelization.
What has life been like before and after you encountered God personally?
–Encountering God has changed the way I understand life: it has led me to rethink my work, some of my friendships, and the way I treat others—but also the way I treat myself. I’ve incorporated habits like prayer and have learned to seek out what brings me closer to the Lord.
It has been a process marked by fears and difficulties, even within my own family, because people may have a certain image of you and expect you to always remain the same. But we can change, listen to the Lord, and grow. For me, conversion has been precisely that journey of transformation.
What was it like to combine your work with your faith?
–When I became a believer, I asked myself what I was contributing through my work. My business was doing well and bringing in money, but it no longer fulfilled me. Through prayer, I gradually placed everything in God’s hands and realized that He was calling me to a different purpose.
I had always worked with jewelry, so I realized I could do it from a place of faith. That’s how the idea was born to create Catholic jewelry, made in Spain and blessed at various shrines. It all came about through prayer, and over time I’ve been able to reinvest the brand’s profits to visit those places, have the jewelry blessed, and personally experience that journey.
For me, MerydeMaria isn't just about jewelry—it's also about my own journey of faith. In order to share that with others, I have to live it myself. I also believe that a piece of jewelry can be something beautiful that sparks an interest in faith and leads to conversations about God.
What role does the Virgin Mary play in your life and in MerydeMaria?
–The Virgin Mary has always played a very important role in my life. Ever since I was little, I’ve visited the Pilar Shrine in Zaragoza often, and I’ve always worn the Pilar ribbon, so this is the devotion I feel closest to.
The Virgin Mary is very much on my mind, both personally and in the brand name itself. “Mery” comes from my name, and “María” refers to the Virgin Mary, who is the central figure of MerydeMaria. For me, the name expresses exactly that: that everything be done according to God’s word.
Over time, I have come to appreciate the richness of the various titles of the Virgin Mary. I know that they all refer to the same Virgin Mary, but each one reminds me of a different aspect of her story and her mission. Fatima, for example, speaks to me of prayer and peace; Lourdes instills in me hope and trust in the midst of suffering.
I talk to the Virgin Mary every day. I feel as though she is my mother and the great intercessor who brings our petitions to the Lord. Visiting her shrines and learning about the history of each of her titles has greatly deepened my devotion and helped me grow closer to her.
You take all the jewelry to Marian shrines…
–Yes. It was important to me not to talk about the various titles of the Virgin Mary without first having visited her shrines and learned about their histories. That’s why, whenever possible, I’ve taken the jewelry to these places to have it blessed and to personally experience what they represent.
When it hasn't been possible to visit a shrine, I've looked for other ways to bless them, such as taking them to a cathedral or using holy water. The goal is for all the jewelry to be blessed, whether at a shrine, by a priest, or with holy water.
How have young people responded to your evangelization efforts on social media?
–In my prayer, I asked the Lord and the Virgin Mary to bring MerydeMaria to the people who need to get to know her. That’s also how the idea came about to use social media not only to showcase the jewelry, but also to offer something more and spread the Gospel.
I started sharing stories about Marian devotions like Fatima, important dates in the Church’s calendar, and everyday situations related to faith. After all, we’re young, and we all experience fears, doubts, or moments when we don’t understand what God is asking of us. I try to convey those experiences in my posts so that others can relate to them.
The response has been very positive. I get messages from people telling me that a post has helped them better understand something they were going through. For me, even if a post reaches a lot of people, if it truly helps just three, it has already served its purpose.
What do you think young people need to hear?
–Young people need to hear words of hope and, above all, Pope Leo XIV’s words: «Lift up your eyes,» which made me reflect deeply.
We all face challenges and have our own crosses to bear, but we must try to face life with confidence, love, and hope. Social media can be frustrating because it presents an idealized image of life, when in reality we all go through difficult times.
Faith does not promise that everything will turn out well or that we will not face trials. It reminds us that God is present even in those trials and that our lives have a purpose. That is why my message to young people is to trust and keep hope alive.
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