Catholic Saints
Saint Maria Goretti (1890–1902), known as the "Martyr of Purity," was an Italian girl who died at age 11 after resisting an assault, choosing death over sin. Born in Corinaldo, Italy, into a poor farming family, she lived a life of simplicity and faith. On July 5, 1902, she was fatally stabbed by Alessandro Serenelli, a neighbor who attempted to rape her. Before dying, Maria forgave her attacker, an act of mercy that led to his conversion years later. Canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950, she became one of the youngest saints in the Catholic Church. Her feast day is celebrated on July 6, and she is a patron of chastity, rape victims, and youth.
Her feast day is celebrated on July 6.
Martyr of Purity
Born on October 16, 1890, in Corinaldo, Italy, Saint Maria Goretti emerged from humble beginnings to become a powerful symbol of forgiveness and purity in the Catholic Church. Her short life, marked by poverty, faith, and an extraordinary act of mercy, ended in martyrdom at age 11, inspiring millions worldwide.
Maria Teresa Goretti was born into a devout Catholic farming family in the rural village of Corinaldo, in the Marche region of Italy. The third of seven children, she grew up in a household strained by poverty after her father, Luigi, entered a sharecropping partnership that left the family in debt. In 1899, Luigi died of malaria, leaving Maria’s mother, Assunta, to raise the children alone. The family relocated to Ferriere di Conca, near Nettuno, sharing a home with the Serenelli family. Despite their hardships, Maria’s faith deepened; she attended Mass regularly and took on household responsibilities, caring for her siblings with a maturity beyond her years.
Though uneducated due to her family’s poverty, Maria was known for her piety and cheerful disposition. She received her First Holy Communion on June 16, 1901, at age 10, an event that strengthened her devotion. Her daily life revolved around prayer, chores, and helping her mother, earning her the affection of neighbors who called her an “angel.” Living in close quarters with the Serenellis, including Alessandro, a troubled young man, Maria remained a beacon of innocence amid growing tensions.
On July 5, 1902, 19-year-old Alessandro Serenelli, inflamed by lust and resentment, attempted to assault Maria while she was alone sewing. When she resisted, crying, “No! It is a sin! God does not want it!” he stabbed her 14 times in a fit of rage. Maria was rushed to the hospital in Nettuno, where surgeons operated without anesthesia, but her injuries were too severe. Before dying on July 6, she forgave Alessandro, saying, “Yes, I forgive him, and I want him to be with me in paradise.” Her final hours were spent in prayer, offering her suffering to God.
Alessandro was arrested and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Initially unrepentant, he experienced a profound change after dreaming of Maria offering him lilies that turned to flames in his hands. This vision, coupled with her forgiveness, led to his conversion. Released in 1929, he sought Assunta’s forgiveness, which she granted, and later became a lay brother in a Capuchin monastery, living a life of penance until his death in 1970. Maria’s mercy thus bore fruit in the redemption of her killer.
Maria’s story spread rapidly, and her cause for sainthood gained momentum. Beatified in 1947, she was canonized on June 24, 1950, by Pope Pius XII in St. Peter’s Square, attended by an unprecedented crowd of 500,000, including Assunta—the first mother to witness her child’s canonization. Declared a martyr for chastity, Maria became a patron saint of purity, rape victims, and youth. Her relics rest in the Basilica of Nettuno, a site of pilgrimage where her example continues to inspire courage and forgiveness.
Born in Corinaldo, Italy.
Born into a poor farming family.
Received the Eucharist at age 10.
Strengthened her faith.
Martyred at age 11.
Died forgiving her attacker.
Declared a saint by Pope Pius XII.
Canonized in St. Peter’s Square.
Lust drove Alessandro Serenelli to attempt to rape a young girl who was dedicated to God. She was Maria Goretti, only 11 years old, pure and unyielding. Her resistance cost her her life, but her forgiveness sparked his conversion, leading him to witness her sainthood in Saint Peter's Square