This observance appears in the catholic calendar with liturgical color green .
Saint Maria Goretti is revered as a patroness of purity and children, known for her courageous defense of her virginity and her ultimate act of forgiveness towards her attacker.
Saint Maria Goretti, an Italian peasant girl, is a powerful example of Christian virtue, particularly purity and forgiveness. At the tender age of eleven, she was tragically murdered in 1902 while defending herself against an attempted sexual assault, choosing death over sin. Her dying act of forgiving her assailant, Alessandro Serenelli, who later repented and became a Third Order Franciscan, stands as a profound testament to Christ's command to love one's enemies. Canonized in 1950, she is held up as a model for youth, inspiring many to live lives of moral integrity and to embrace the transformative power of forgiveness, even in the face of grave injustice.
Maria Teresa Goretti was born on October 16, 1890, in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy, into a devout but impoverished farming family. She was the third of seven children born to Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. From a very young age, Maria was accustomed to hardship and responsibility. The family struggled to make ends meet, and the promise of better opportunities led them to leave their home in Corinaldo. In 1896, they moved south to Ferriere di Conca, a hamlet near Nettuno, to work as sharecroppers on a farm owned by Count Mazzoleni. This move placed them in close proximity to the Serenelli family, with whom they shared a living space and agricultural labor, a common arrangement for poor farm laborers at the time. Maria's early life was marked by simplicity, hard work, and a deep, innate piety nurtured by her parents.
Life in Ferriere was arduous. After her father, Luigi, tragically died of malaria in 1900, Maria's mother, Assunta, was left to care for six young children and manage the farm, which she now shared with Giovanni Serenelli and his son, Alessandro. Despite her young age, Maria took on significant responsibilities, helping with chores, caring for her younger siblings, and assisting her mother in the fields. She yearned for her First Holy Communion, a sacrament she deeply desired to receive, but her family's poverty and the demands of their work often made attending catechism difficult. However, through the diligent efforts of her mother and the local Passionist priests, Maria was finally able to receive her First Communion in 1902, just a few months before her death. This event solidified her spiritual life and commitment to her faith, particularly her devotion to purity.
The shared living conditions with the Serenelli family, while economically necessary, also brought peril. Alessandro Serenelli, then an eighteen-year-old, began to harbor impure intentions towards Maria. For months, he made repeated advances, which Maria consistently rejected, understanding the gravity of sin and the importance of preserving her innocence. She threatened to tell his father, Giovanni, and her mother, Assunta, if he did not cease his harassment. On July 5, 1902, while Maria was alone in the house, mending clothes, Alessandro cornered her. He demanded that she submit to his desires. Maria, with remarkable courage for her age, fiercely resisted him, crying out, "No! It is a sin! God does not want it! You will go to hell!" Her unwavering refusal enraged Alessandro.
Driven by a combination of lust and fury, Alessandro grabbed an awl and stabbed Maria fourteen times. Despite her grave injuries, Maria continued to resist and cry out, not only for help but also to warn Alessandro of the eternal consequences of his actions. Her younger sister, Teresa, heard the commotion and alerted their mother. Maria was rushed to the hospital in Nettuno, but her wounds were too severe. For nearly twenty hours, she suffered immensely, but her spirit remained unbroken. Before succumbing to her injuries on July 6, 1902, Maria, with astonishing grace, explicitly forgave Alessandro. When asked if she forgave her attacker, she stated, "Yes, for the love of Jesus, I forgive him. I want him with me in Paradise." This act of supreme charity, mirroring Christ's forgiveness on the cross, cemented her place as a true martyr of purity and love.
Alessandro Serenelli was apprehended and sentenced to thirty years in prison for Maria's murder. For several years, he remained unrepentant, hardened by his crime. However, his spiritual transformation began during his imprisonment. Approximately eight years after the murder, he had a vivid dream or vision in which Maria appeared to him, offering him lilies, which transformed into flames. This powerful experience awakened his conscience, leading to a profound conversion. Overwhelmed with remorse, he became a model prisoner, repented of his sins, and sought forgiveness. Upon his release after 27 years, he immediately went to Assunta Goretti, Maria's mother, to beg for her forgiveness, which she graciously granted. He later joined the Capuchin Franciscans as a lay brother, living a life of penance and prayer until his death in 1970. His presence at Maria's canonization in 1950, sitting humbly in the front row, was a powerful testament to the transformative power of divine grace and Maria's ultimate act of forgiveness.
Maria Goretti's heroic virtue and martyrdom were formally recognized by the Catholic Church. On April 27, 1947, Pope Pius XII beatified her, and on June 24, 1950, he canonized her as a saint in St. Peter's Square, before an immense crowd, including her mother, Assunta, and her repentant attacker, Alessandro Serenelli. She was proclaimed a martyr of purity, a powerful intercessor for young people, and a model of fortitude in the face of temptation. Saint Maria Goretti's life stands as a beacon of light, particularly in an age often grappling with moral relativism. Her unwavering commitment to chastity, even unto death, and her boundless capacity for forgiveness, exemplify the highest ideals of Christian love and virtue. She reminds believers that true strength lies not in worldly power but in adherence to God's will and the radical embrace of charity, offering hope and inspiration to countless souls seeking to live lives of holiness and integrity. Her feast day is celebrated on July 6th, the anniversary of her death.
It was a sweltering July afternoon in 1902, the kind of heat that presses down on the fields of Ferriere di Conca, near Nettuno. Eleven-year-old Maria Goretti was alone in the humble farm kitchen, diligently mending clothes, her fingers nimble with needle and thread. Her mother, Assunta, and the others were out in the fields, toiling under the relentless sun. Suddenly, the doorway was darkened by the figure of Alessandro Serenelli, the eighteen-year-old son of the family with whom the Gorettis shared their meager dwelling and labor. For months, Alessandro had pursued Maria with impure intentions, and each time, Maria, with the wisdom and fierce purity of an angel, had rebuffed him.
Today, however, Alessandro's intentions were more forceful, more desperate. He cornered the small girl, his eyes burning with a dark desire. He made his demand, but Maria, though trembling, stood firm. "No! It is a sin! God does not want it! You will go to hell!" she cried out, her voice clear and unwavering despite her fear. Her words, a stark reminder of eternal damnation, only fueled Alessandro's rage. He grabbed an awl, a sharp tool used for piercing leather, and lunged at her.
Maria fought back with all her might, not with physical strength, but with the spiritual fortitude that flowed from her deep faith. She struggled, screamed, and continued to protest, valuing her purity above her very life. The awl plunged into her body, again and again, fourteen times. Yet, even as her lifeblood seeped away, her concern was not for herself, but for her attacker's soul. She pleaded with him to stop, not just for her sake, but for his salvation. Her younger sister, Teresa, heard the commotion and ran for help, but it was too late.
Maria was rushed to the hospital in Nettuno, but her wounds were mortal. For nearly twenty agonizing hours, she lingered, her small body wracked with pain. But her spirit remained untainted, filled with a grace that transcended human understanding. As she lay dying, a priest asked her if she forgave Alessandro. With a faint but clear voice, Maria whispered, "Yes, for the love of Jesus, I forgive him. I want him with me in Paradise." These words, spoken from the precipice of death, were not just an act of mercy, but a profound testament to the transformative power of Christian forgiveness. Her desire was not for vengeance, but for the salvation of her attacker's soul, a wish that would miraculously come to pass years later when Alessandro, haunted by her memory and her forgiveness, repented and ultimately lived a life of penance, even attending her canonization.
June 24, 1950
Venerable Brethren and Beloved Children,
Our Lord Jesus Christ, when He was about to ascend into heaven, after having fulfilled the mission entrusted to Him by His Eternal Father, not only promised to send the Paraclete to His Apostles, but also declared that He would remain with them until the consummation of the world. For this reason, He wished that His Church, which He founded on Peter, should be a visible society, a city set on a hill, a light that cannot be hid. He willed that it should be a living body, animated by His Spirit, and that in it He Himself should live and act through His vicars and ministers, through the sacraments and through all the means of grace which He instituted.
This divine presence of Christ in His Church, which is prolonged through the centuries, manifests itself in a special way in the saints, who are His most perfect members, living images of Him, reflecting His virtues and His holiness. Today, We have the joy of raising to the altars a new saint, Maria Goretti, a tender flower of purity and a heroic martyr of Christ. Her life, so short and yet so rich in merit, teaches us a sublime lesson: that true strength lies in fidelity to God and in the courageous defense of His law, even to the shedding of one's blood.
Maria Goretti was born in a humble family, simple and poor, but rich in faith and Christian virtues. From her earliest years, she showed a singular piety and a deep love for God. She was a diligent and obedient daughter, a kind and helpful sister, a modest and pure maiden. She lived in a rural environment, where hard work and self-sacrifice were the daily bread, and where the simple faith of her parents nourished her soul. She received her First Holy Communion with great fervor, understanding well the immense gift of Jesus in the Eucharist, and this sacred encounter became a source of strength and grace for her.
When she was barely eleven years old, she was called to give the supreme testimony of her fidelity to Christ. An unbridled youth, blinded by passion, dared to assault her purity. Maria, with the courage born of her profound faith and her love for God, resisted with all her might, crying out: "No! It is a sin! God does not want it! You will go to hell!" These words, uttered by a child, were a powerful rebuke, a testament to her clear understanding of sin and its eternal consequences.
Her aggressor, enraged by her steadfast resistance and fearing exposure, brutally stabbed her fourteen times. Maria suffered immensely, but even in her agony, her heart remained full of charity. When asked if she forgave her assailant, she replied with astonishing clarity: "Yes, for the love of Jesus, I forgive him. I want him with me in Paradise." This sublime act of forgiveness, echoing the words of Christ on the Cross, is the crowning glory of her martyrdom. It reveals the depth of her union with God and the perfection of her Christian charity. Her sacrifice was not merely a defense of her personal purity, but a witness to the sanctity of God's law and the dignity of the human person, created in His image and likeness.
Maria Goretti is a model for all, especially for young people. In an age when purity is often scorned and chastity ridiculed, her example shines forth as a beacon of light, reminding us that purity is a precious treasure, a virtue that makes us truly free and capable of loving God and neighbor with an undivided heart. Her martyrdom teaches us that there are values more precious than life itself, and that fidelity to God's commandments is the path to true happiness and eternal life. She shows us that even in the most extreme circumstances, grace triumphs over sin, and forgiveness can conquer hatred.
Furthermore, the conversion of her murderer, Alessandro Serenelli, is a striking proof of the power of Maria's intercession and the efficacy of her forgiveness. After years of impenitence, a vision of Maria offering him lilies led him to a profound conversion. He repented, confessed his sin, and later lived a life of penance and prayer as a lay brother. This extraordinary transformation demonstrates that no soul is beyond the reach of divine mercy, and that the charity of the saints can draw even the most hardened hearts to God.
Therefore, let us all, young and old, imitate the virtues of Saint Maria Goretti. Let us cultivate purity of heart, for "blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God." Let us practice forgiveness, for it is the hallmark of true discipleship and the path to reconciliation and peace. Let us be courageous in defending our faith and moral principles, even when it demands sacrifice and hardship. May Saint Maria Goretti, the tender virgin and valiant martyr, intercede for us before God, that we may walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ and attain the crown of eternal glory. Amen.
Public veneration of the major relics of Saint Maria Goretti, particularly through organized tours of her incorrupt body to various dioceses and parishes.
Her incorrupt body is seen as a powerful physical testament to her purity and sanctity, drawing pilgrims to seek her intercession and reflect on the virtues she embodied, especially in a popular and accessible way for the faithful in the U.S. and other countries it has toured in.
Recitation of specific prayers and novenas dedicated to Saint Maria Goretti, particularly for intentions related to purity, chastity, forgiveness, and protection from violence or temptation.
Her martyrdom for purity and her dying act of forgiveness are central to her spiritual legacy, making her a powerful intercessor for these virtues, inspiring universal devotion among the faithful.
Encouraging young people, especially adolescents, to emulate her virtues of fortitude, purity, and forgiveness, often integrated into catechesis, youth ministry programs, and chastity education initiatives.
Her heroic witness at a very young age makes her an accessible and inspiring role model for youth facing moral challenges, fostering a universal emphasis on her example in Christian formation.
Pilgrimages to the Basilica of Our Lady of Grace and St. Maria Goretti in Nettuno, Italy, where her body is entombed, and to her birthplace in Corinaldo.
These locations are central to her life and martyrdom, serving as focal points for devotion and spiritual reflection for pilgrims who wish to visit the sites connected to her earthly journey.