Prayer:Prayer to St. Maria Goretti
Stored: Prayer to St. Maria Goretti
| Prayer to St. Maria Goretti | |
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| Author | Unknown |
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| Language | English |
| Approval | None |
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| Added on | 2026-08-14 |
Prayer to St. Maria Goretti is a traditional Catholic intercessory prayer addressed to Saint Maria Goretti, virgin and martyr, canonized by Pope Pius XII on June 24, 1950. This prayer implores her powerful intercession before God, particularly for the grace of purity, the strength to resist temptation, and perseverance in the Christian moral life. It has been cherished by the faithful throughout the world since her canonization and is frequently recommended by spiritual directors and confessors as a devotional aid for those seeking growth in chastity and virtue.
The prayer reflects the central spiritual significance of St. Maria Goretti's witness: her heroic choice to preserve her chastity even at the cost of her life at the age of eleven. Her example continues to inspire countless Catholics, particularly young people, to embrace the virtue of purity in an age of moral difficulty. This prayer invokes her as a compassionate intercessor who understands the weakness of human nature and pleads before God on behalf of sinners and the spiritually struggling.
Among the most remarkable aspects of Goretti's legacy is the conversion of her assailant, Alessandro Serenelli, who repented after Maria appeared to him in a vision during his imprisonment. This dimension of mercy and redemption is woven into the spirit of the prayer, which asks not only for purity but for the grace that transforms even the most broken souls.
The Prayer
O Saint Maria Goretti, who, strengthened by God's grace, did not hesitate even at the age of twelve to shed your blood and sacrifice your life to preserve your purity, look graciously on the unhappy human race which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation.
Teach us by your example to flee from the occasions of sin, to be prompt in fleeing what is contrary to God's holy law, and above all to have recourse in our troubles to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to His Mother Mary.
Obtain for us a practical love of purity of body and soul. Through your intercession, may we resist every temptation with God's grace and advance in virtue so as one day to be admitted with you to the glory of heaven.
Amen.
History and Background
Saint Maria Goretti was born on October 16, 1890, in Corinaldo, in the Marche region of Italy, to Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini, a devout and impoverished peasant family. After her father's death from malaria in 1900, the family relocated to Ferriere di Conca near Nettuno, where they lived alongside the Serenelli family. On July 5, 1902, the young Maria was attacked by Alessandro Serenelli, a nineteen-year-old neighbor who attempted to assault her. Refusing to submit and declaring that such actions were sinful and that she would not commit them, she was stabbed fourteen times. She died the following day, July 6, 1902, forgiving her attacker and expressing the desire that he join her in heaven.
Her cause for canonization was opened with remarkable speed given the living memory of those who knew her. Remarkably, both her mother, Assunta Goretti, and her repentant assailant, Alessandro Serenelli, were present at her canonization in Saint Peter's Square — a moment of extraordinary grace witnessed by an estimated 250,000 faithful. Pope Pius XII pointed to Maria as a model for Catholic youth in the modern world, particularly in the face of moral temptation and the erosion of Christian sexual ethics.
The intercessory prayer to St. Maria Goretti emerged organically from Catholic devotional life in the years following her beatification in 1947 and her canonization in 1950. Various forms of the prayer circulate among the faithful, but the version reproduced here is among the most traditional and widely used, appearing in numerous approved Catholic prayer books, parish bulletins, and devotional resources throughout the latter half of the twentieth century and into the present day.
How to Pray / Devotional Use
This prayer may be prayed at any time as a personal devotion, but is especially fitting in the following contexts:
- Morning prayer — offered as a consecration of the day's actions to purity of heart and intention, asking St. Maria Goretti's intercession for protection against temptation throughout the day.
- Before the Blessed Sacrament — the prayer itself directs the faithful to have recourse to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament; praying it in Eucharistic Adoration deepens its effectiveness and aligns with Maria's own deep love of the Eucharist.
- Before Confession — as a preparation for the Sacrament of Penance, asking for the grace of true contrition and firm purpose of amendment.
- Novena devotion — the prayer may be repeated for nine consecutive days, particularly in the days leading up to her feast day on July 6, or when confronting serious temptation or seeking healing from sin.
- Youth retreats and chastity apostolates — catechists and retreat directors frequently use this prayer as part of programs on chastity education and moral formation for young Catholics.
Those devoted to St. Maria Goretti often keep a holy card bearing her image and this prayer, or place her image in the home as a reminder of her witness. Her intercession is especially sought for young people in moral danger, victims of violence, and those struggling to live out the Church's teaching on chastity and human dignity.