Saint Maksymilian Maria Kolbe (1894–1941)
Born in 1894 in Zduńska Wola into a modest but deeply religious family, Maksymilian Maria Kolbe showed exceptional devotion from an early age. At 16, he entered the Franciscan order as a novice and continued his education in Rome, where he was ordained a priest in 1918. Those who knew him particularly remembered his unwavering optimism, profound piety, love of the Rosary and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
His visionary spirit led to the foundation of Niepokalanów, the “City of Mary”, which became the largest Franciscan monastery in the world. Driven by a desire to contribute to Poland’s spiritual renewal, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to mission and evangelisation. The monthly magazine he published, Rycerz Niepokalanej (“Knight of the Immaculate”), reached a circulation of up to 800,000 copies and inspired countless believers.
On 28 May 1941, Kolbe was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp. There, he demonstrated extraordinary courage and compassion by offering his life for another prisoner, a family man who had been sentenced to death by starvation and pleaded for mercy. After enduring prolonged suffering in the starvation cell, he was killed by an injection of phenol. His final words to the Nazi doctor administering the lethal injection continue to resonate: “Hatred serves no purpose. Only love creates life.”
Pope John Paul II canonised him on 10 October 1982. Since then, his image has appeared in almost every Polish church, recalling his steadfast faith and selfless love of neighbour.
