Maximilian Kolbe was born on January 8, 1894, in Zduńska Wola, Poland. He joined the Conventual Franciscans, professing his final vows in 1914, and was ordained a priest in 1918. A fervent devotee of the Virgin Mary, Kolbe founded the Militia Immaculatae (Army of the Immaculate) to promote consecration to Mary and established a large monastery at Niepokalanów, which became a significant center for religious publishing.

During World War II, Kolbe was arrested by the Gestapo for sheltering refugees, including Jews, and was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. In July 1941, after a prisoner escaped, the camp authorities selected ten men to be starved to death as a deterrent. Kolbe volunteered to take the place of Franciszek Gajowniczek, a fellow prisoner with a family. After enduring weeks of starvation, Kolbe was executed by lethal injection on August 14, 1941.

Pope Paul VI beatified Kolbe in 1971, and he was canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 10, 1982, who declared him a martyr of charity. During the canonization, John Paul II referred to Kolbe as "the patron saint of our difficult century." Kolbe's self-sacrifice continues to inspire many, exemplifying profound faith and love in the face of immense suffering.