Maximillian Kolbe

Saint Maximilian Kolbe O.F.M. Conv.
Apostle of Consecration to Mary
Religious, priest and martyr
Born	(1894-01-08)8 January 1894 Zduńska Wola, Kingdom of Poland, Russian Empire
Died	14 August 1941(1941-08-14) (aged 47) Auschwitz concentration camp, Nazi Germany
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, Anglican Church
Beatified	17 October 1971, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope Paul VI
Canonized	10 October 1982, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II
Major shrine	Basilica of the Immaculate Mediatrix of Grace, Niepokalanów, Teresin, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland
Feast	14 August
Attributes	Prison uniform, needle being injected into an arm
Patronage	Against drug addictions, drug addicts, families, imprisoned people, journalists, political prisoners, prisoners, pro-life movement, amateur radio, esperantists.

Maximilian Maria Kolbe, O.F.M. Conv. (Polish: Maksymilian Maria Kolbe [maksɨˌmʲilʲjan ˌmarʲja ˈkɔlbɛ]; 8 January 1894 – 14 August 1941) was a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, who volunteered to die in place of a stranger in the German death camp of Auschwitz, located in German-occupied Poland during World War II. He was active in promoting the veneration of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, founding and supervising the monastery of Niepokalanów near Warsaw, operating a radio station, and founding or running several other organizations and publications.

Kolbe was canonized on 10 October 1982 by Pope John Paul II, and declared a martyr of charity. He is the patron saint of drug addicts, political prisoners, families, journalists, prisoners, and the pro-life movement. John Paul II declared him "The Patron Saint of Our Difficult Century".

Due to Kolbe's efforts to promote consecration and entrustment to Mary, he is known as the Apostle of Consecration to Mary.

Maximilian Kolbe was born on 8 January 1894 in Zduńska Wola, in the Kingdom of Poland, which was a part of the Russian Empire, the second son of weaver Julius Kolbe and midwife Maria Dąbrowska. His father was an ethnic German and his mother was Polish. He had four brothers. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Pabianice.