Santa Maria Goretti

Maria Teresa Goretti (October 16, 1890 – July 6, 1902)
Feast Day: 6 July

Honored as one of the first Passionist martyrs.  Maria is the patron saint of chastity, rape victims, youth, teenage girls, poverty, purity and forgiveness.


Santa Maria Goretti was born 16 October 1890 in Corinaldo Italy to Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini.  She was the third of six children born into a poor farming family.  Maria's father died of malaria when she was only nine years old. 

Shortly after, Maria and her family moved to Le Ferriere, Lazio, Italy where they shared a residence with another family, which included Giovanni Serenelli and his son Alessandro.

On 5 July 1902, finding eleven year-old Maria alone in the home caring for her baby sister, Alessandro Serenelli, a nineteen year-old farm hand,  entered the home and attacked Maria with the intent to sexually assault her.  She fought to stop Alessandro, screaming "No!  It is a sin!  God does not want it!"  Alessandro started to choke Maria, but when she insisted she would rather die than submit to him, he stabbed her eleven times. The injured Maria tried to reach for the door, but Alessandro stabbed her three more times before running off.

Maria was found bleeding and near death by her mother and Alessandro's father. They took her to a nearby hospital in Nettuno where she was operated on without anesthesia, however her injuries were too grave and she died some twenty hours after the attack.  Prior to her death Maria expressed forgiveness for her murderer, stating that she wanted to have him in Heaven with her.

Alessandro Serenelli was sentenced to 30 years in prison.  After his release he visited Maria's still-living mother and begged her forgiveness.  She forgave him, saying that if Maria had forgiven him on her deathbed then she couldn't do less, and they attended Mass together the next day, receiving Holy Communion side by side.  Alessandro reportedly prayed every day to Maria Goretti and referred to her as "my little saint."  He attended her canonization in 1950.

Serenelli later became a lay-brother of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, living in a monastery and working as its receptionist and gardener until dying peacefully in 1970.

On 24 July 1950, Maria Goretti was declared a saint in Saint Peter's Square by Pope Pius XII.  Her body is kept in the crypt of the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie e Santa Maria Goretti in Nettuno, south of Rome.  It has been often reported that her body is incorrupt but this is not the case. Her remains are kept inside a statue which is lying down beneath the altar.

Tomb of St. Maria Goretti

 

To purchase this and other wire-wrapped rosary beads please visit my shop at Unbreakable Rosaries.

Reference Links:

Wikipedia

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

A Pilgrimage To The Shrines of St. Maria Goretti (Beautiful photos!)

Biography of St. Maria Goretti

Seven Sorrows of Mary Unbreakable Servite Rosary Beads in Gray Hematite

Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, also known as the Servite rosary.

Length: 27.5"

Beads: 8mm Gray Hematite

Construction: Unbreakable Wire Wrapped - Single Cage

Also available in black onyx and white howlite stones.

www.UnbreakableRosaries.com

The Cross of Saint James

St. James Conquering The Moors 

by Giovanbattista Tiepolo, 1749-1750

 

The cross of St. James, or "cross fleury" is the emblem of the Knights of Santiago, also know as the Order of Santiago de Compostela, which was founded in the 12th century in Northern Spain.  The bottom of the cross is sword-shaped in reference to the military aspect of the order and is considered a cross of a warrior - symbolizing taking up the sword in the name of Christ.

The order, which owes it's name to St. James the Great, patron saint of Spain,  received its first rule in 1171 from Cardinal Jacinto (later Pope Celestine lll); and, was recognized as religious by Alexander III.  The order was originally established to provide protection to pilgrims visiting the tomb of St. James at Compostela, who were frequently harassed by the Moors.

The Order of Santiago is still in existence today under the Spanish crown.  It currently exists of 35 knights and 30 novices.  Candidates must be practicing Catholics and admission is determined upon noble ancestry.

 Rosary of St. James the Great in red mountain jade by Unbreakable Rosaries.

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Links to learn more about the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela and the Royal Knights of Santiago:
Mary Pages
Chivalric Orders
Wikipedia - Cross of St. James
Wikipedia - The Knights of Santiago
New Advent
Royal Knights of Santiago

Madonna Dello Scoglio, Calabria, Italia

Madonna Dello Scoglio

Fratel Cosimo Fragomeni was born in 1950 in Santa Domenica di Placanica, a village of Calabria, one of the poorest regions in Italy. From an early age he was a committed Roman Catholic and when he was 18, he reported to the village priest, don Rocco Gregorace, having had four visions in which the Mother of God, standing on a rock (scoglio), appeared to him. The first of these visions took place on the 11th May 1968. The Virgin Mary asked Cosimo to transform the valley into a shrine in order to bring people closer to God.

For that reason on the rock of the apparition, Cosimo built a little chapel, and called the shrine “Madonna dello Scoglio” (Our Lady of The Rock) because the Virgin Mary appeared to him on the top of the rock. He also placed a marble statue of Our Lady on the rock of the apparitions. Pilgrims come from all over the world to pray and touch the sacred rock, through the metal fencing that circumscribes it, testifying great miracles and conversions.

Shortly after the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, Cosimo began to lead prayer and healing sessions for pilgrims and many people were cured from diseases. Although he had received little formal education, he was admitted to the lay order of the Franciscan brothers with the name of "Fratel Cosimo”. He leads a mystical life, living in solitude in a house near the apparition rock, fasting and praying like an hermit, and avoiding any sense of celebrity.

Fratel Cosimo is a man of God, appreciated by his Bishop for his obedience and humility to the Catholic Church. He emphasizes prayer as the primary vehicle for opening oneself to God and for receiving spiritual and physical healing.

Thanks to the donations of the pilgrims, the shrine grounds and facilities have been expanded. A foundation and a rosary prayer group have been established and on the 8th December 2007  the local Bishop Mons. Morosini, declared the “Scoglio” official Catholic shrine.

The Mysterious Painting of Madonna Dello Scoglio

In the small chapel built by Fratel Cosimo, there is a stunning painting of the Virgin Mary, painted by the local painter Ilario Tarsitani, following Fratel Cosimo's suggestions. Apparently, the artist had painted the body of the Madonna according to the indications of Fratel Cosimo and was about to begin painting the face, but he found himself unable to do it. He simply could not work further. He put the painting aside, took a new canvas and began again by painting  the body, but he could not do the face. The same problem occurred with a third canvas and the painter had to surrender.

Discouraged, he asked Fratel Cosimo what to do and was told: “Don’t worry, the Mother of God will think of it.” The next day Fratel Cosimo, returning to his house, found the painter in tears and the painting finished. The artist denied having worked on it during the previous night, concluding that it was a miracle and that the Virgin Mary painted Her face by Herself.

 Madonna Dello Scoglio Rosary in Blue Fire Agate

To purchase this rosary please visit my Etsy shop.

Information taken from http://patriziacattaneo.com/lang3/index.html

Saint Therese of Lisieux Mother of Pearl Catholic Rosary

Saint Therese "The Little Flower" Rosary in 6mm creamy white Mother-of-Pearl with 15mm lamp work glass roses for the Pater beads.  The center is a 1" 3-dimensional statue of Saint Therese.  The 2.25" Basilica crucifix shows one of the major Basilica's of Rome on each arm - Saint Mary Major, Saint Peter, Saint John Lateran and Saint Paul.  All parts made in Italy.  Measures 29". 

This rosary is available for purchase at www.unbreakablerosaries.com.

Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina Unbreakable Catholic Rosary

 

Wire-wrapped dream agate stones in 6mm size for the Aves and 8mm for the Pater beads.  5/8" Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina centerpiece with Our Lady of Perpetual Help on the reverse.  1.5" Traditional crucifix from the Italian Cipolletti collection.  Both medals made in Italy.  $49

Available for purchase at www.unbreakablerosaries.com.

Saint Rita of Cascia Unbreakable Catholic Rosary

Wire-wrapped 6mm white howlite paired with 14mm stabilized turquoise ovals.  1" Saint Rita of Cascia center and a 1.75" crucifix from the Cipoletti Collection.  Measures 30" in total length.  All parts are made in Italy.

To purchase this rosary please use this link to visit my Etsy shop.

Saint Anthony of Padua Unbreakable Catholic Rosary

8mm Red leopard skin jasper paired with 8mm sponge coral and 6mm dream agate.  Saint Anthony of Padua center with a Basilica's of Roma crucifix.  30" Length.  All parts are made in Italy.

To purchase this rosary please use this link to visit my Etsy store.