Virgin and Martyr
Feast Day: July 6
Born: October 16, 1890 – Corinaldo, Italy
Died: July 6, 1902 – Nettuno, Italy
Canonized: June 24, 1950 by Pope Pius XII
Early Life
Maria Goretti was born into a poor but devout peasant family in Corinaldo, Italy. From a young age, she exhibited a spirit of deep piety and simplicity. Her family, though impoverished, upheld the Catholic faith with steadfast devotion, frequently praying the Rosary and attending Holy Mass despite hardship.
When Maria was still a child, her father Luigi died of malaria, leaving her mother Assunta with six children to care for. Maria, though barely ten years old, took on the role of a little mother—tending to her siblings, cooking, cleaning, and assisting her mother in every way. She was known to be gentle, modest, and full of a quiet, interior holiness that drew others to God.
Heroic Purity and Martyrdom
Maria’s family shared a home with another family, the Serenellis. Alessandro Serenelli, a young man of 20, began to harbor impure desires toward Maria. She, understanding the gravity of sin and the importance of preserving purity, resisted all his advances with firm resolve.
On July 5, 1902, Alessandro attempted to assault her. Maria resisted bravely, crying out: “No! It is a sin! God does not want it!” Enraged, Alessandro stabbed her fourteen times. She was taken to the hospital, suffering greatly.
Before she died on July 6, Maria forgave her assailant, saying:
“Yes, for the love of Jesus I forgive him… and I want him to be with me in Paradise.”
Her forgiveness was no mere sentiment—it was a supernatural act of grace flowing from a heart united to Christ. She died shortly after receiving the Last Rites, a martyr for holy purity.
Conversion of Alessandro
Alessandro was imprisoned for his crime. At first unrepentant, he later reported a vision of Maria appearing to him in prison, offering him lilies—symbols of purity—which burned in his hands. Deeply moved, he converted, repented, and became a lay brother in a Capuchin monastery after serving his sentence. He was present at Maria’s canonization.
Canonization and Legacy
On June 24, 1950, Pope Pius XII canonized Maria Goretti before a crowd of 500,000 people—the first canonization in history attended by the saint’s own mother. In his homily, the Pope addressed the youth of the world, presenting Maria as a model of purity, courage, and sanctity in a time of moral decline.
He declared her a martyr for chastity, a shining light in the darkness of modern impurity. Maria Goretti is today the patroness of youth, young women, rape victims, and those striving to live a chaste life.
Spiritual Lessons from Her Life
- Purity is worth dying for. In an age where chastity is scorned, Maria reminds us that the virtue of holy purity is precious and to be defended with one’s life if necessary.
- Forgiveness is possible even in the face of grave evil. Her willingness to forgive mirrors Christ on the Cross.
- Sanctity is attainable at any age. Maria reached heroic virtue by the age of eleven, showing that holiness is not reserved for the aged or learned.
Prayer to Saint Maria Goretti
O Saint Maria Goretti,
who, strengthened by God’s grace,
did not hesitate even at the age of eleven
to shed your blood and sacrifice life itself
to defend your virginal purity,
look graciously on the unhappy human race
which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation.
Teach us all, and especially the youth,
with what courage and promptitude we should flee for the love of Jesus
anything that could offend Him or stain our souls with sin.
Obtain for us from our Lord victory in temptation,
comfort in the sorrows of life,
and the grace which we earnestly beg of thee…
and may we one day enjoy with thee the imperishable glory of Heaven.
Amen.