Maximilian Kolbe: Knight of the Immaculate

Maximilian Kolbe: A Life Well Loved

In Poland at the turn of the 20th century, a young boy dreamed of fighting dragons. He wanted to be a knight, battling with courage and honor. Little did he know that his struggle against evil would take him across the globe - from his hometown, to Ukraine, to Rome, and even to Japan. It would end in one small room in Poland where he would strike with immense faith against the evil one. For young Raymund Kolbe, none of this mattered - all that he cared about was serving his Lady, the Blessed Mother.

A Knightly Heart

When he was 12 years old, Raymund Kolbe had a vision of the Blessed Mother. She offered him a choice between two crowns: a white crown of purity, and a red crown of martyrdom. Overflowing with love for Her and Her Son, he chose both.

His choice led him to sneak across the border to Lviv with his brother. Their goal: the seminary. Arriving one rain-soaked night, Raymund and his brother begged admission and were accepted. Yet not everything was smooth and peaceful for the now Brother Maximilian. A rambunctious youth, he struggled with his time in seminary, feeling ever called to fight directly in military service. Yet he remained close to Mary and Jesus, studying and obeying his superiors. Eventually, his studies took him to Rome, where he would witness the evils of the world first-hand.

First Days of Priesthood

Outside the gates of Vatican City, the recently ordained Fr. Kolbe witnessed a freemason procession which depicted Lucifer stepping on Saint Michael. This outraged him, and led him to realize that more had to be done. He gathered around himself a group of like-minded individuals: young, talented, and devoted to Our Lady. Under Her guidance, he formed the Militia Immaculata (the Militia of the Immaculate One), which met in order to pray and do reparation to Our Blessed Mother. Though met with pitfalls and obstacles, Kolbe never flagged in his goal to get the Militia Immaculata approved and spread across the globe. Kolbe was particularly adept in using new technology, such as radio and mass printing, to spread his message.

By the time the Nazis invaded Poland, the Militia Immaculata was thriving. Kolbe had even set up a similar community in Japan! The invaders, however, quickly arrested Kolbe and his Franciscan brothers. When they were released two months later, they found their community was ransacked and their printing presses were destroyed. Yet Kolbe did not let this deter him. He continued to speak out about the evils of the Nazi regime, and was again arrested - this time, permanently - and sent to Auschwitz.

Fighting to the End

After Kolbe had been in Auschwitz for a few months, an escape took place. As retribution for the escape, several prisoners were selected to be starved to death. When one man, a husband and father, begged for his life for his children’s sake, Fr. Kolbe stepped forward. He offered his life in place of the other man. The Nazi officer accepted Kolbe’s offer, and he was placed with the other prisoners in the cell. While they began by fighting and turning against each other out of fear, Fr. Kolbe reassured them, praying, singing hymns, and offering mass each day. After 14 days of starvation and dehydration in the bunker, only a few of the prisoners remained - Fr. Kolbe among them. He was given a lethal injection, and died with a hymn to his Lady on his lips.

Hear the Whole Story

This week on The Saints: Adventures of Faith and Courage, hear the inspiring journey of young Raymund Kolbe as he becomes Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Knight of the Immaculate. Hear his early childhood dreams and visions in rural Poland. Discover the little-known stories of his days of seminary and in Rome as a young priest. Witness his heroic sacrifice in Auschwitz, giving his life for the freedom of another man, and hear how he offers all of his sufferings for the good of others. Discover the whole series at thesaintspodcast.com!

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