🕯️ Prayer to St. Maximilian Kolbe
The prayer to St. Maximilian Kolbe honors the great martyr of charity and patron of the difficult century. St. Maximilian Kolbe was a 20th-century Polish Franciscan friar who founded the Militia Immaculatae and gave his life in Auschwitz to save another man. His heroic sacrifice and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary continue to inspire Christians around the world.
Prayer to St. Maximilian Kolbe
Traditional Prayer
O St. Maximilian Kolbe,
martyr of charity and patron of the difficult century,
who gave your life for another in Auschwitz,
obtain for us from the Lord
the grace to love our neighbor as ourselves
and to be willing to sacrifice ourselves
for the good of others.
Help us to have the same devotion to Mary
that you had, and to trust in her intercession
in all our needs.
Teach us to be courageous in the face of evil
and to stand firm in our faith
even in the most difficult circumstances.
Pray for us that we may be instruments
of God's love and mercy in the world.
Amen.
Short Prayer
St. Maximilian Kolbe,
martyr of charity,
pray for us and help us
to love others as you loved.
Teach us to be courageous
in the face of evil.
Amen.
Prayer for Courage
O St. Maximilian Kolbe,
who faced the horrors of Auschwitz
with courage and faith,
help us to be brave in our daily struggles
and to trust in God's providence.
Give us the strength to stand up for what is right
and to defend the weak and vulnerable.
Amen.
When to Pray to St. Maximilian Kolbe
- • On August 14th - Feast day of St. Maximilian Kolbe
- • For courage - When facing difficult challenges
- • For Poland - When praying for the country of Poland
- • For prisoners - When praying for those in prison
- • For drug addicts - When praying for those struggling with addiction
- • For journalists - When praying for media workers
- • For families - When praying for family unity
- • For the pro-life movement - When praying for the unborn
History and Significance
Early Life
St. Maximilian was born in 1894 in Poland. He joined the Franciscan Order and was ordained a priest. He had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary from an early age.
Militia Immaculatae
St. Maximilian founded the Militia Immaculatae (Knights of the Immaculata) to promote devotion to Mary and to combat evil in the world through prayer and action.
Missionary Work
St. Maximilian established missions in Japan and India, spreading devotion to Mary and publishing religious magazines to evangelize through the media.
Martyrdom
During World War II, St. Maximilian was arrested and sent to Auschwitz. He volunteered to take the place of a man with a family who was sentenced to death, dying in the starvation bunker.
Famous Quotes
"The most deadly poison of our times is indifference."
"Let us remember that love lives through sacrifice and is nourished by giving."
"No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it."
"The real conflict is the inner conflict. Beyond armies of occupation and the hecatombs of extermination camps, there are two irreconcilable enemies in the depth of every soul: good and evil."
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