Who might not face punishment after the death of a saint? Executioners or judges, perhaps (but it's only two words, and there might be some play on multiple meanings).
It could also be something related to the saint himself: sincere words or pious prayers, something along those lines, meaning that a painful death is the punishment.
But the heroine should be a well-known figure, like Alice Selezneva (but I think I'm off on the date). A random girl from "Jeralash" doesn't count.
And in general, the 60s don't necessarily have to be the 20th century; it could be the 19th.