St. Maria Goretti

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St. Maria Goretti was born on October 16, 1890 in Corinaldo, Acona, Italy. She was the daughter of Lugi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. Her father was a tenant farmer and her mother raised her and her four siblings. In 1896 her family moved to Colle Gianturco, which is near Galiano. A few years later Maria's father was stricken by malaria and later died, her mother was left to providing for five children.

In July of 1902 a young man named Alessandro approached Maria and beckoned her into to a bedroom in her house. Maria refused to go and so Alessandro grabbed her and pulled her into the bedroom. Maria desperately cried for help. Alessandro ended up raping Maria and stabbed her with a dagger multiple times. After raping and stabbing Maria, Alessandro ran away. A while later Maria was taken to a hospital where she later died. Before she died, however, she forgave Alessandro.

Alessandro was later captured and and he was sentenced to thirty years in prison. While Alessandro was in prison he had a dream that he was in a garden, Maria was there and she gave Alessandro white lilies. When he later awoke he repented for his crime. He was released after twenty seven years in prison, and the first thing he did was he went to see Maria's mother to ask for her forgiveness. Maria's mother said that if her daughter could forgive him when she was about to die then she could too.

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On June 24, 1950, Maria Goretti was declared a saint by Pope Pius XII. Alessandro, along with Maria's mother were in attendance when Maria was canonized. Pope Pius XII canonized her for her purity as a model for young teenagers. She is also considered a martyr because she battled against Alessandro attempt to sexually assault her. After attending Maria's canonization, Alessandro became a Capuchin laybrother. He lived in a convent and worked as a receptionist and gardener.

St. Maria Goretti lived her life completely for God. Her feast day is July 6, and she is the patroness of chastity, youth and rape victims. Even though she was raped, she intended to remain chaste for Jesus Christ her Lord and Savior. She is one of the first saints to have two papal visits to her tomb. Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II were the two that visited.