On July 6, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Saint Maria Goretti, the 11-year-old girl who was murdered while defending her purity from an attempted rape, and who during her agony forgave the aggressor.
Saint Maria Goretti, who was called the “sweet martyr of purity” and proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XII, was not only notable for her defense of chastity, but also for her love of the Eucharist and devotion to the Virgin Mary.
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Just a few hours away from celebrating her feast day, we share 10 facts about the life of the Italian saint that can help the faithful grow in faith from childhood.
1. She worked since she was little
Maria was born on October 16, 1890 in Italy, into a poor family that moved from the province of Ancona to Ferriere di Conca, in the province of Lazio, to work in the fields of Count Mazzoleni, according to the story. Vatican News.
She sold eggs, prepared food for the farmers, mended clothes and took care of her younger siblings.
2. She was an exemplary daughter
After the death of her father, Luigi Goretti, María supported her mother Assunta with household chores and taking care of her five siblings. According to Vatican News, she preferred to eat leftovers so that others would be well fed.
The girl used to instill hope in her mother, who suffered from the bad behavior and despotic attitude of the Serenellis, the family they associated with due to financial difficulties. “Courage, mom, don’t be afraid, we’re getting older. It is enough for the Lord to grant us health. Providence will help us. We will fight and we will continue fighting! ”She told him.
3. I would rather die than say a bad word
One day the saint expressed her indignation at hearing a young man and one of his companions say obscene words to each other.
“Whatever goes in one ear, comes out the other. Look, daughter, just as you are surprised by the things of others, others may be surprised by the things you do,” her mother once pointed out to her. The girl responded: “If I ever have to speak like that, I would rather die first.”
4. He didn’t go to school
Saint John Paul II narrated in a message that Saint Maria Goretti could not go to school because of “the difficulties of poverty.” But she and her siblings were “educated by their parents to respect themselves and others” and in “the sense of duty fulfilled for the love of God.”
5. He made his First Communion with the help of his people
The saint longed to receive the Eucharist since she was little, and when she told her mother, she reminded her that she did not know the Catechism, nor read, that they did not have “money to buy your dress, shoes and veil” and “not even a Free time”. The girl responded: “Well, I will never be able to take Communion, mom! And I can’t be without Jesus!”
Her neighbors helped her prepare for the sacrament, they got her the clothes she needed, and so Maria made her First Communion on May 29, 1902, at the age of 11, a year earlier than was customary at the time.
6. He used to pray and offer his sufferings to the Virgin Mary
When the girl lost her father she sought comfort in prayer, especially in the Holy Rosary. Furthermore, she used to pray to the Virgin in the face of indecent proposals and death threats from Alessandro Serenelli, who tried to rape her and ended up murdering her.
After her mother and Alessandro’s father found her seriously injured after the attempted rape, María was taken to a hospital, where the doctors were surprised that she had not died and operated on her without anesthesia due to her delicate state of health. Despite her pain, she did not complain and offered her sufferings to the Virgin.
7. He resisted a rape attempt
On July 5, 1902, Alessandro Serenelli took advantage of the fact that María was alone at home and tried to rape her, but she resisted, shouting at him: “No! It’s a sin! God does not want that! ”And he warned her that she could go to hell. Blinded by her rage, the young man stabbed her 14 times and left her with serious wounds to her heart, left lung, diaphragm and intestines.
8. He forgave his attacker before dying
Before she died, the priest asked her: “Mary, do you forgive your murderer with all your heart?” She replied: “Yes, I forgive him for the love of Jesus, and I want him to come with me to Paradise too. I want him to be by my side…May God forgive him, because I have already forgiven him.”
Regarding this, Saint John Paul II highlighted that “the spirit of forgiveness animated the relationships of the entire Goretti family and, for this reason, it was able to express itself with such spontaneity in the martyr.”
9. His murderer became
Alessandro Serenelli was sentenced to 30 years in prison and seemed to have no remorse. He repented after being visited by the Bishop of Noto, Mons. Giovanni Blandini, and after dreaming of the saint pouring 14 lilies on him, the number of times she had stabbed her.
When he was free, he sought out the saint’s mother to ask for forgiveness, gave his testimony to help the cause of beatification and was admitted to the Third Order of Saint Francis.
Saint John Paul II highlighted that the murderer “acknowledged the guilt committed, asked forgiveness from God and the martyr’s family, atoned with conviction for his crime and throughout his life he maintained this disposition of spirit.”
10. One of his sisters became religious
The Corinaldo Sanctuary website collect that on the day of her martyrdom, the saint was taking care of her two-year-old sister, Teresa Goretti. The baby woke up when she heard Mary’s screams and began to cry, a noise that made her mother and Alessandro’s father return home from the field and find the wounded saint.
Teresa entered as a nun on October 23, 1920 at the institute of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary, under the name of Sister María de San Alfredo. She met Saint Paul VI in September 1969 and, ten years later, Saint John Paul II. She died on February 25, 1981 in a convent of her institute in Orvieto.
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