On July 5, 1902, Maria Goretti was brutally stabbed to death by Alessandro Serenelli. The 12-year-old virgin-martyr not only fought to maintain her purity, she forgave her killer and declared that she wanted him to be with her in Heaven. In what is the most extensive biography on the life of St. Maria Goretti in the English language, author Bret Thoman brings the story to life like never before. In addition to drawing on the most updated biographies in Italian, the author personally visited the three sites where the young saint lived: Corinaldo, the Roman countryside, and the farmhouse near Nettuno where she was attacked. The result is a fresh new biography combined with vivid descriptions of each place. The book also takes a deeper look at the life of Alessandro Serenelli, the other protagonist of the saga. It contains interviews with three Capuchin friars who lived with and knew Alessandro personally. With a foreword by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, himself a devotee of St. Maria Goretti, and photographs, this second edition offers an unparalleled look at the lives, personalities, and milieu of Maria Goretti and Alessandro Serenelli. What emerges is a "Journey into Forgiveness and Redemption." Whether you will visit these sites in Italy or your pilgrimage will be from the comfort of your armchair at home, may the Holy Spirit guide you as you begin.
On July 5, 1902, Maria Goretti was brutally stabbed to death by Alessandro Serenelli. The 11-year-old virgin-martyr not only fought to maintain her purity; she forgave her killer and declared that she wanted him to be with her in Heaven. In what is the most in-depth biography on the life of St. Maria Goretti in the English language, author Bret Thoman brings the saga to life like never before. To create the most extensive and comprehensive English-language biography of Maria Goretti, the author drew from the most updated Italian biographies as sources. Moreover, he personally visited the three sites related to the story of Maria and Alessandro. Written to accompany Thoman's sister book on Maria Goretti, "Following Maria Goretti: A Personal Journey from Her Birthplace to Martyrdom," the result is a fresh, new look at the lives, personalities, and milieu of Maria Goretti. This work also explores the life of the other protagonist of the story, Alessandro Serenelli. While many accounts of Maria Goretti's life focus on the depravity of her killer, this book explores his childhood traumas-including his mother's menta