Maria Teresa Goretti was born on October 16, 1890 in Corinaldo (eastern side of Italy). She was the third of seven children in her farming family. The increased poverty forced the family to move to the western side of the country when she was only six. Meanwhile; unfortunately her father died because of malaria, when she was nine. As a result of that Maria's family was forced to share a house with another family called Serenellis. At there, Maria assumed the household duties while her mother, brothers and sisters worked in the local fields. One afternoon, Alessandro, the Serenellis' son, made sexual advances toward Maria, but she refused it. Consequently, Alessandro flew into a rage and stabbed her fourteen times. She was taken to the hospital, but she died from her wounds only after forgiving him. He was promptly arrested, convicted, and jailed. After three years he repented, and when eventually released from prison, he visited her mother begging forgiveness, which she readily granted. He later became a lay brother in a monastery, eventually dying peacefully in 1970. She was beatified in 1947, and canonized in 1950. Her mother attended both ceremonies.
