St. Maria Goretti
Patron of youth, young women, purity, and victims of rape
b: 1890 d: 1902
Born in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy, on October 16 1890; her farmworker father moved his family to Ferrier di Conca, near Anzio. Her father died of malaria and her mother had to struggle to feed her children.
In 1902 an eighteen-year-old neighbor, Alexander, grabbed her from her steps and tried to rape her. When Maria said that she would rather died than submit, Alexander began stabbing her with a knife.
As she lay in the hospital, she forgave Alexander before she died. Her death didn't end her forgivness, however.
Alexander was captured and sentenced to thirty years. He was unrepentant until he had a dream that he was in a garden. Maria was there and gave him flowers. When he woke, he was a changed man, repenting of his crime and living a reformed life. When he was released after 27 years he went directly to Maria's mother to beg her forgiveness, which she gave. "If my daughter can forgive him, who am I to withold forgiveness," she said.
When Maria was declared a saint in 1950, Alexander was there in the St. Peter's crowd to celebrate her canonization. She was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950 for her purity as model for youth.
She is called a martyr because she fought against Alexander's attempts at sexual assault. However, the most important aspect of her story is her forgiveness of her attacker -- her concern for her enemy extending even beyond death. Her feast day is July 6. St. Maria Goretti is the patroness of youth and for the victims of rape.
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A Really Inspiring Story. This girl has been through alot.
Maria is the saint that i find the most inspiring...she seems to be the one that most teen girls can look up to!
Hello My name is Marian Magno i'm serching you because my Christian Living Teacher said to search you...
She is so needed today..in a world of worship of the flesh seems paramount..I am blessed to have a first class relic of this most cherished child of God.
Happy name (Confirmation) day, Kat!!! Peace.
her story is so wonderful. She is My report..
yes, at school my teacher said that i have to pick a saint name and didn't know what to pick so i picked saint maria. there are saint cecilia, saint flora, saint anne, saint eliazabeth but i wanted to pick this instead.
I LOVE HER PURITY. SHE IS MY PATRONESS AND MY ROLE MODEL FOR GUIDING MY LIFE AS A YOUTH.
Hi Im remy and I post a comment last time and its not here! And I think that this website is so interesting because we had to do this project and we had to pick our own saints and chose Maria because shes a good model to everyone..... Thank u
I have proudly taken Maria Goretti as my Catholic saint name. ^^ Ever since, I feel like her reincarnation. :P A proud feeling because I have her kind and forgiving heart... so what if I'm a little darker. ;) This was a very helpful source for me. :) Ironically Yours. <3
Hi Im AngeL, For me St.Maria Goretti rockZ cauSe sHe hAd heLpeD mE in ManY wAyS...!!!!
she is the model for virginity............
St. Maria Goretti is my Confirmation name, she has inspired me!!!!!
i love her story and i love when she said that she will rather died than submitting her body to alexander because this statement made me repent of my sins
MARIA GORETTI I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!
she got stabbed 14 times u know!
I'm using her name as my confirmation name. That's how much i love her!!
I Love you, St.Maria Goretti, guess what?!?! I LOVE YOU>!!
im using her name as my confirmation name toooo ! :p
Im using you as my saint in the forth grade for church. I want to be just like you that's how much I LOVE YOU!
im using you as my patron saint.
im writing a saint report on you and u don't have enough information!!
You don't have enough information for my report.
i used u for my report. hope u like it of course u cant see it but who cares. mrs. blades and blood thats a stupid name whoever put that as their stupid name that is very rude to god.
Hello my name is Sarah Young. Your site gave me plenty of information. Thanks!!!!
Hello my name is Sarah Young. I'm using your site for my home work. It gives me everything I need.Thanks!!!!
u are my patron saint and i hav a question for angel 8/28/08 how did she help u?
This is a pretty good web site although it needs to have how old she was when she died. Thanks
I used u for my report due on fri. hope my teacher like i mean luvvvvvvvvvvv it. ( ( )
Geeee Maria was a TOUGH girl!!!!! great site by the way!!!
When did St.Maria Goretti die. The date only if she died. What was the date she became a saint.
Please send me the answer on oct.31.
who wrote this article?? i need to know for my saint report for confirmation!
she died July 2nd 1902 in the hospital, she became a saint on July of 1950.
I think that she was very strong and nobel, because she was not afraid to die. P.S. SHE WAS 12 WHEN SHE DIED!
I really adore maria. that is my grandmother's name, and my middle name. I am doing a project on u and i cant wait!! This is the 2nd year in a row that i have a saint project, and the second year in a row i chose u!!! i am really inspired by u. U were a tough, dedicated child to god. THANX. i luv u and hope for u to visit me like a miracle. but, PRAY AND LIVE ON!
she iz a strong saint!! she forgave alexander for what he did wow thats incredible it takes a strong heart to do sumthin like that
aww... forgiving is great, isn't it??
..nice to know her story..c': my birthday is her feast day..
Love reading all the posts, I grew up hearing the stories of Maria, I am descendant of hers. We have several Maria Goretti's in the family and several Maria's. We also have a few Asuntas (her mothers name) in the family.
i truly admire her! i think i'm going to pick her for my confirmation saint!
I'm gonna pick her too! I just barely heard why she is a great saint and what her purpose was. She is very unique! Pray for us!
She help's me. I know she will.
St.maria goretti is a youth like me. i always try my best possible to emulate her,we are in a jet age so i believe it's hard for some us to be like her. i pray dat st.maria will give we the youth the intercession we need to overcome temptations. amen. ST.MARIA GORETTI, PRAY FOR US ALL.
I love this saint. I even picked her for my Confirmation name! I love how she had the courage to say no and to forgive her murderer! I want to be more like her!
i think this was very helpful and i love maria
I am related to St.Maria Goretti my great great grandfather was her cousin.
I really appreciate Maria Goretti for her strengh against the sin and her forgiveness. she is a good example for young girls for standing in good position.
Maria inspires me to be a much better person, I am not Catholic I am Church of England, I think Maria gives a good example on how to be brave and forgivable.
You inspired me Maria. I love you and im thinking about using you for conformation this year!
Well, I am getting confirmed in April and I have a saint report due on the 25th. I have been doing some research on Saint Maria Goretti, thanks for this article, but it needs some more info.
I am being confirmed in the beginning of May, and I chose this saint as my saint name. She is such a role model and she truly inspires me. But I agree, this article could use a little more detail, but thank you for the helpful reference!
I'm getting confirmed in May & she's my saint =]
I am being Confirmed next May and I choose St. Maria Goretti. Thanks for the article, but I'm with Cara form around St. Louis, it needs more info.
Im Having Confirmation in Term 3 And Im Choosing padre pio as my saint
los felicito por la gran pelicula de maria goretty
poor saint maria goretti we will miss you.
oh, we watched d movie dis afternoon, cuz its d feast day and d name of our section was named after her... I-St. Maria Goretti or simply I-SMG... itx so very touching... i almost cried in d end... she is too young to hve experienced something like that...
i thought Alexander will be evil 4 ever but he changed and i was touched
I am happy to learn more about St. Maria Goretti. Am going to teach about her life to the children in my class in the church.
what touched me most was her matured character even at her age.everyone on the farmland was proud of her. By her death things changed at the farmland: the mean farm owner's attitude towards his wife and laboreres, and the young priest encouragement in his choice of vocation. What an example for all class of people!
i believe she one of the most amazing people ever!
I am grateful to have this beautiful information about St Maria and I knowing such encouraging news will not leave me the same as a youth. Peace and Love of God be with you now and for ever.
SHE ROCKS!!!!!!
she is a inspiration
this girl is brave and a inspiration. i love this girl
i am going to be a saint at my school and i picked her i love this girl so much she is very brave and in inspiration to me and all of my classmates and my teacher loves her to and that is why i picked her!
wow this girl is so brave and cool .... man she got that swaga
i picked this saint for my confirmation class she is very special in her own ways she's the best!!!
very interesting and brave on her part
omg i chosse dizz saint fer a class essay
this is y i chose her!
This is my favorite saint and i picked her for my essay!!! :)
I love St. Maria Goretti. She is a bright example for today's society.
Ever since i was in middle school, i thought maria was such a good example, and even in high school today i still pick her for my saints day reports
i chose her for my confirmation project
i would never have the guts to forgive someone for raping and killing me. i choose her for my confirmation.
Oh gosh, after checking out all female saints. I'll choose her. :)
Wow she is incredible im choosing her for confirmation i just dont know how i will be able to read my report in front of 2nd graders
Oh, wow. She definitely deserves to be a saint.
i chose her for confirmation, i had to do some research , she is an amazing person , she is my idol , she defiantly deserves to be a saint , im glad shes part of my name too(:
i think that maria is one of the most inspiring people i have ever heard of....shes my new idol and im definitely choosing for her for conformation!
wow. She is so inspiring. I'm using Maria for my Confirmation!
i can't believe she stood up to him like that! she is an amazing person
Maria Gorettis' story totally inspired me cuz she chose to stay pure and die then to live with the sin that wouldn't have been her fault.
I love Maria I was touched by her story and i think she is very brave and im 12 right now and I chose her as my confirmation name and I love the name Maria.
I think she's very inspiring. I am admired by her story. she's great!
Maria Goretti is the most saddening story i have every heard! she is my idol her name is my confirmation name bc her story touches my heart
i try my best to find this now i found it i search everyday for this :)
St. Maria Goretti's life is a real challenge to the young children of today.
I really appreciate Maria Goretti for her strength against the sin and her forgiveness. she is a good example for young girls like us. i have always wanted to be like her for standing in good position. she sacrificed her live for chastity.
A wonderful lesson about forgiving....................something we all can learn from!
AS A VERY YOUNG GIRL SHE IS VERY INSPIRING BECAUSE SHE FORGAVE ALEXANDER . I NEVER FORGET HER STORY
St. Maria Gorreti- Pray for us. You are an inspiration to me and many young people: help us to be like you in our lives.
she is so amazing for wat she did i would not have the guts to do that,thats why she is going to be my confirmation name.
I'm reading this article because I chose Saint Maria Gorettii for my Confirmation name and thought she was very inspiring. I'm very young but think she is a great forgiving Saint.