MAXIMILIAN KOLBE'S EARLY LIFE
Raymund Maria Kolbe (changed his name to Maximillian Kolbe later on) was born on the 8th of January 1894 in Zduńska Wola, Poland. He had four brothers and was born with a lung disease called Tuberculosis which affected him throughout his whole life.
In 1906, he had a vision of the Virgin Mary. These were his words that described the events:
"That night I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked me if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity, and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both."
In 1906, he had a vision of the Virgin Mary. These were his words that described the events:
"That night I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked me if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity, and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both."