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 October 16, 1890
Maria Goretti is born in Corinaldo, Italy
July 5, 1902
Maria is stabbed 14 times by her 20-year-old neighbor,
Alessandro Serenelli, because she refused to have sex
with him while shouting "No! It is a sin! God
does not want it!"
July 6, 1902
Maria dies at the age of 11 years, 9 months and 21 days.
After 20 painful hours of suffering during which she
forgave and prayed for Alessandro, Maria entered Heaven
fortified with the Last Sacraments. Her last earthly
gaze rested upon a picture of the Blessed Mother. After
few years, Maria appeared to her murderer in his prison
cell one day. She smiled at Alessandro and was surrounded
by lilies, the flower symbolic of purity. After 30
years in prison Alessandro left and became a brother
at a Franciscan monastery.
June 24, 1950
Maria Goretti is declared Saint in St. Peter's Square
by Pope Pius XII, becoming the youngest officially
recognized Catholic saint ever. Her mother, and her
murderer, attended the canonization ceremony together.
The Pope proposed her as the Patroness of modern youth
and set July 6th as her feast Day.
Click
here to download a flyer with prayers (PDF format) For more on Saint Maria Goretti check www.mariagoretti.org
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