Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Conventual Franciscan priest and missionary who lived from 1894 to 1941. He is widely recognized for his devotion to the Virgin Mary and his extensive work in religious publishing and radio. During World War II, he was imprisoned in the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he famously volunteered to die in place of a fellow prisoner. This act of self-sacrifice led to his martyrdom. He was later canonized by Pope John Paul II, who described him as a patron for the difficult twentieth century.