Today, July 6, is the memorial of Saint Maria Goretti.
Maria, born in 1890 in Marche, Italy, was a pious farm girl whose parents were Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. When she turned five, the Gorettis became so poor they gave up everything. Luigi soon died of malaria, and the family was forced to transfer to the Serenelli farm to survive.
When she was 11, Maria was attacked by 19-year-old farm-hand Alessandro Serenelli, who attempted to rape her. Maria resisted, telling him that rape was a sin. He tried to strangle Maria, then stabbed her 14 times with a sharp woodworking tool.
Maria stayed alive in the Nettuno hospital for another day. She forgave Alessandro and said she wanted him to join her in Heaven. And then she died holding a crucifix and medal of Our Lady.
Alessandro, who was in prison, had a vision of Maria. He saw a garden where a young girl in white gathered lilies. She smiled, came near him, and encouraged him to accept an armful of the lilies. As he took them, each lily transformed into a still white flame. Maria then disappeared. This vision of Maria led to Alessandro’s conversion,
Venerable Pope Pius XII beatified (1947) and canonized (1950) Maria.
The canonization ceremony was attended by over 250,000 including her mother, the only time a parent has witnessed her child‘s canonization. Alessandro, her repentant murderer, was also in attendance.
Maria’s bones are in a crypt of the Passionist Basilica dedicated to St. Maria Goretti in Nettuno. The remains are in a wax figure depicting the saint.