Alexandrina Maria da Costa was born on 30 March 1904 in Balasar, Portugal. She became paralyzed after jumping out of a window to preserve her purity from men who broke into her home. God helped her to see that suffering was her vocation and that she had a special call to be the Lord's "victim". From 1938 to 1942, Alexandrina lived the three-hour "passion" of Jesus every Friday, having received the mystical grace to live in body and soul Christ's suffering in his final hours. During these three hours, her paralysis was "overcome", and she would relive the Stations of the Cross, her movements and gestures accompanied by excruciating physical and spiritual pain. She was also diabolically assaulted and tormented with temptations against the faith and with injuries inflicted on her body.

The custom of taking the Eucharist to prisoners and the sick became increasingly dangerous during the reign of Emperor Valerian, who was harshly persecuting Christians in the third century. One day, when the priest asked who in the congregation was prepared to take the Eucharist to the other brothers and sisters who were waiting for it, young Tarcisius stood up and asked to be sent. "My youth", Tarcisius said, "will be the best shield for the Eucharist". Convinced, the priest entrusted to him the precious Bread, saying: "Tarcisius, remember that a heavenly treasure has been entrusted to your weak hands. Avoid crowded streets and do not forget that holy things must never be thrown to dogs nor pearls to pigs. Will you guard the Sacred Mysteries faithfully and safely?". "I would die", Tarcisio answered with determination, "rather than let go of them".