Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe

Maximilian was a friar in Poland. Like many priests, he lived an admirable and holy life. 

The faithful and humble friar was arrested in September of 1939 upon his town’s capture by Nazi forces. St. Maximilian was faced with what many would consider a tempting offer, to cave to social and political pressure and sign the Deutsche Volksliste, which would make his life much easier by gaining him similar rights to German citizens in exchange for officially recognizing his Germanic heritage. He refused. 

Maximilian was eventually released in December of the same year. After his release, he returned to his friary where he and his fellow friars sheltered refugees from Nazi persecution (including 2,000 Jews). 

Nazi authorities forced the monastery to close on February 17, 1941. It was at this time that Maximilian Kolbe, along with four others, was arrested and sent to the Pawiak prison (camp).

In May, he was transferred to the infamous Auschwitz camp where he was designated prisoner number 16670.  

Imprisoned, beaten, harassed, publicly humiliated, and yet, continuing to act as a priest for the glory of God and the benefit of his fellow prisoners, Fr. Maximilian Kolbe touched the lives of many. 

His heroism does not end there. 

In July of 1941, there was a prisoner escape. In an attempt to punish and retaliate the prisoners, the deputy camp commander decided to select ten men to be isolated in an underground bunker and starved to death. 

When a Polish Catholic man named Franciszek Gajowniczek was chosen as one of the ten, he pleaded to be spared for the sake of his wife and children. Fr. Maximilian selflessly volunteered to take his place. He is reported to have spent his last several days calmly leading the other prisoners in prayer as they all slowly starved.

When St. Maximilian Kolbe’s body would not succumb to starvation, he was lethally injected with carbolic acid and passed on August 14th, 1941. His earthly body was cremated on the following day, on the feast of the Assumption of Mary.

He was canonized by St. Pope John Paul II in 1982. 

St. Maximilian Kolbe is regarded as the patron saint of prisoners, families, and those struggling with drug addictions. 

St. Maximilian Kolbe, Pray for us.