Saint Maria Goretti
A farm girl of the Nettuno area who was stabbed in 1902 and died the next day
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Martyr, Virgin, Young saint
- Life
- 1890 – 1902
- Era
- 20th century
- Feast
- 6 July
- Countries
- Italy
Life story
Maria Goretti was born on 16 October 1890 at Corinaldo in the Marche, to a poor family of tenant farmers. The family moved to the Pontine marshes near Nettuno in Lazio in search of work and shared a house with the Serenelli family at Le Ferriere di Conca. Her father, Luigi, died of malaria in 1900, leaving her mother, Assunta, to raise the children.
As the eldest girl, Maria cooked, looked after her younger siblings and did housework for both families. In the first half of 1902, Alessandro Serenelli, a young man of about twenty who lived in the same house, repeatedly tried to force himself on her. She refused.
On 5 July 1902 Alessandro attacked her and stabbed her several times. Maria was taken to the hospital at Nettuno and died on 6 July. According to witnesses, she forgave her attacker before she died. Alessandro was sentenced to thirty years in prison; later, by his own account, he repented, was released in 1929 and worked as a lay helper at a Capuchin friary until his death in 1970.
Maria Goretti was beatified in 1947 and canonised by Pius XII on 24 June 1950. The ceremony was held in the open air in front of St Peter's, because the crowd was too large for the basilica. Her mother, Assunta, lived to see the canonisation and was present at the ceremony. Maria's remains rest in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Graces at Nettuno, which remains a place of pilgrimage for many Italians, especially the young.
Works and witness
- Took on the household work after her father's death in 1900
- Was attacked on 5 July 1902 and died the next day
- According to witnesses, forgave her attacker before dying
- Canonised on 24 June 1950
Saints from the same country
References
- Martyrologium Romanum
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile
- Acts of the beatification and canonisation process of Maria Goretti
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.