St. Maria Goretti
Patron Saint of Survivors of Sexual Violence, Young Women, and Forgiveness
Confronted by Violence.
Remembered for Mercy.
Saint Maria Goretti was born on October 16, 1890, in Corinaldo, Italy, into a poor farming family. After her father died, Maria helped her mother care for the home and her younger brothers and sisters. Although she had little formal education, her family raised her in a deep and trusting Catholic faith.
On July 5, 1902, when Maria was only eleven years old, she was attacked by Alessandro Serenelli, a young man whose family shared a home with the Gorettis. When Maria resisted his attempt to sexually assault her, he stabbed her repeatedly.
Maria survived long enough to be taken to a hospital. Before she died the following day, she forgave Alessandro and expressed the hope that he would one day be with her in Heaven.
Her forgiveness did not excuse the violence committed against her. It revealed the extraordinary strength of a child who refused to allow hatred to have the final word. Maria’s life reminds us that violence can never erase a person’s innocence, dignity, or worth in the eyes of God.
Legacy and Canonization
Maria Goretti was beatified by Pope Pius XII on April 27, 1947. She was canonized by him in Saint Peter’s Square on June 24, 1950, before an immense gathering of the faithful.
Her mother, Assunta, was present to witness her daughter being declared a saint.
The Church honors Saint Maria Goretti as a virgin and martyr, remembering her courageous faith, her defense of human dignity, and her extraordinary act of forgiveness. Her feast day is celebrated each year on July 6.
Saint Maria Goretti has become a powerful intercessor for survivors of sexual assault, abuse, exploitation, and violence. She is also honored as a patron of young women, teenagers, and forgiveness.
For Our Lady’s Haven, Maria’s story carries a particularly important truth: what has been done to a person does not define who that person is. Abuse cannot take away innocence. Exploitation cannot erase dignity. Violence cannot separate someone from the love of God.
Maria stands beside those who have been harmed—not as a reminder of what they should have done, but as a witness that they remain beloved, worthy, and never abandoned by God.
Her life calls us to protect the vulnerable, defend human dignity, accompany survivors with compassion, and believe that healing and new life are possible through Christ.
