Today marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, an observance intended to raise public awareness of one of the most serious violations of human rights. On this occasion, we want to remember the figure of Saint Maria Goretti, a young martyr who sacrificed her life to defend her purity and forgave her murderer before she died.
Who was Saint Maria Goretti?
Saint Maria Goretti was born in Corinaldo, in the Marche region, on October 16, 1890. She was the second of seven children in a poor farming family. After her father’s death in 1900, her mother entrusted her with caring for the household and her younger siblings. Maria was a simple, devout, and hardworking girl who had received her First Communion at the age of 9 and wished to preserve her virginity as a gift to God.
How did Maria die?
Saint Maria Goretti was killed on July 6, 1902, at just 11 years old, by Alessandro Serenelli, an 18-year-old boy who lived in the same house with his family. Alessandro had tried several times to take advantage of Maria, but she had always firmly resisted with strength and courage. That day, taking advantage of Maria’s mother’s absence, Alessandro reached her in the house and tried to rape her. Faced with her refusal, he struck her 14 times with an awl, mortally wounding her. Maria was taken to the hospital, where she underwent surgery, but her condition was desperate. Before she died, she forgave her attacker, saying: “Yes, for the love of Jesus, I forgive him and I want him to come to Paradise with me.”
The canonization
Saint Maria Goretti was canonized on June 24, 1950, by Pope Pius XII, who defined her as a “martyr of purity”. She was the first saint to be canonized in the presence of her mother, Assunta, and her murderer, Alessandro, who converted in prison thanks to a dream in which Maria offered him white lilies with a smile. After serving his sentence, Alessandro lived as a lay friar in a convent and died in 1970. His was a dual journey through life, shaped by Marietta’s forgiveness, as she was known within the family. And he, as a reborn man, reflecting on the past, indeed stated: «Looking back now at the reasons that led me to commit the crime, I attribute the primary cause to a lack of education», words that prompt reflection and resonate as tragically relevant today.
Saint Maria Goretti is venerated as the patron saint of Latina, the Pontine Marshes, the Daughters of Mary, young people, and victims of violence. Her body is preserved in the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Nettuno, in the province of Rome.
Why remember Saint Maria Goretti on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women?
Saint Maria Goretti is an example of faith, courage, and forgiveness, inviting us to reflect on the value of life and the dignity of every person. Her testimony urges us to fight every form of violence, oppression, and injustice that still affects millions of women around the world today. Her story shows us that it is possible to resist evil with good, and that love is stronger than hatred. Saint Maria Goretti encourages us never to lose hope, to trust in God, and to pray for our enemies.
Saint Maria Goretti, pray for us and for all women who suffer because of violence.
