Maximilian Kolbe was born in Poland in 1894. As a boy, he prayed the rosary every day and loved Mary, the Mother of God, with all his heart. One day, Mary appeared to him with a choice to serve God or to become a martyr. He chose both.

He chose to enter the seminary and was soon ordained a Franciscan priest. Throughout his life, God worked through Father Maximilian to serve God by giving comfort to those who were suffering as priests do when they perform the sacrament of anointing. Maximilian Kolbe ultimately became a martyr, and his feast day is August 14.

Saints are real-life heroes of faith who inspire us by their virtues to become more like Christ. In the Saints and Me! series, these beautifully illustrated early-reader books tell the real stories of saints that come to life and connect with today’s children aged 4 to 9.