Saint Maximilian Kolbe: The Childhood Of A Saint

One of the most inspiring saints in history, St. Maximilian Kolbe was born on the eighth of January, in 1894. He was born with the name of Raymond. Raymond was born in Zdunska-Wola, which is located in Poland. At this time, Poland was a part of the Russian Empire. Raymond’s father was a weaver, and his father’s name was Julius. His mother’s name was Maria. He had two brothers, with the names of Francis and Joseph. At this time Poland, there was a political split. Raymond said he “lamented the existence of hatred and the political split in Poland (“The Childhood of a Saint”). Raymond, as a child, dreamed of a “political reunification of the Motherland” (“The Childhood of a Saint”). His mother was a very devout Catholic. Raymond had to pray
His magazine reached 600,000 copies per issue, and the newspaper reached 1 million copies. In 1930, he started a mission in Japan with other friars. In the city of Nagasaki, they made a new “City of the Immaculate”. However, it actually translated to “Garden of the Immaculate”. Though he faced many troubles, he was able to create and publish a Japanese “Knight of the Immaculate”. Maximilian Kolbe’s actions, words, and deeds caused many conversions to Christianity in Japan. In 1939, Nazi forces gained control of Poland. Maximilian and other friars were arrested. The Nazi’s prevented his writings and publishings to reach the people of Poland. Two months later, the Maximilian and the others were released. His City of the Immaculate was turned into a refugee center for lost families.
Maximilian Kolbe was arrested again, this time on February 17, 1941. Before the Gestapo came to his home, he wrote his final theological essay about Mary and the Holy Spirit. At Auschwitz, he translated his writings and spoke them to his inmates, telling them that there is indeed a God (Life in the City of the Immaculate in Poland). A prisoner from Maximilian’ s barracks escaped. The commander of the bunker informed them that he would pick one of ten random people to starve to death in the starvation bunker. Ten men were selected, and Maximilian Kolbe was not one of these