St. Maximilian Kolbe Coloring Page
This St. Maximilian Kolbe coloring page shows the Franciscan priest in his habit and round glasses, holding a rosary, while Mary offers him two crowns, one white and one red. The PDF is free to print. Kolbe loved Mary and gave his life to save a father.
The story of St. Maximilian Kolbe
In 1894, in Poland, a boy named Raymond was born. He could be naughty sometimes, and one day his mother asked him sadly what would become of him. Raymond went to church and asked Mary the same question. He said that Mary showed him two crowns, one white and one red. The white crown meant he would stay pure. The red crown meant he would give his life for Jesus. Mary asked if he wanted them, and Raymond said he would take both!
When he grew up, Raymond became a Franciscan friar and took the name Maximilian. He loved Mary very much and wanted everyone to know Jesus through her. He printed a little magazine about Mary and sent it all over Poland. Soon so many friars came to help that his friary became one of the biggest in the world. He even traveled to Japan to tell people there about Jesus.
Then a terrible war came. Father Maximilian was taken away to a prison camp called Auschwitz. Even there he shared his bread and prayed with the other prisoners. One day the guards picked ten men to die. One of them cried out for his wife and children. Father Maximilian stepped forward and said, "I am a Catholic priest. I would like to take his place, because he has a wife and children." The guards let him. The father, Franciszek, went home after the war and lived for many more years.
St. Maximilian Kolbe died on August 14, 1941. He received both crowns. Pope John Paul II named him a saint in 1982. His feast is August 14.
What to color
- His habit: gray, the color of the Conventual Franciscans, with a white cord.
- The three knots on his cord: for the promises of poverty, chastity and obedience.
- His round glasses: silver or gold.
- The two crowns: one white for purity and one red for giving his life.
- Mary: a white dress and a blue veil.
- The rosary and magazine: brown beads and a colorful cover.
A prayer to pray together
Father Maximilian loved Mary, whom he called the Immaculata. We can pray:
St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.
Children can add: help us love others the way Jesus does.
Ideas for families and classrooms
- Color this page on his feast, August 14, the day before the Assumption of Mary.
- Make two paper crowns, one white and one red, and talk about what they mean.
- Pray a Hail Mary together each morning, as Maximilian taught his friends.
- Share something of your own today, a snack, a toy or your time.
- Talk about it: Jesus said there is no greater love than to give your life for your friends. How can we put others first in small ways?
Read the full story: St. Maximilian Kolbe in the encyclopedia.
Frequently asked questions
What colors should I use for St. Maximilian Kolbe?
His Franciscan habit was gray, tied with a white cord. Color Mary's veil blue and her dress white. One crown is white and the other is red, as in the story of his vision.
What do the two crowns mean?
When Maximilian was a boy, he told his mother that Mary showed him two crowns. The white one meant he would stay pure, and the red one meant he would give his life for Jesus. He said he wanted both.
Why is St. Maximilian Kolbe a saint?
He spent his life telling people about Jesus and Mary. In a prison camp during World War II, he offered to take the place of a man who was a father, so that the man could go home to his family.
Is this coloring page free for schools?
Yes. Print as many copies as you need for your home, classroom or parish.