St. Maximilian Kolbe, August 14
A Polish Franciscan who founded a huge Marian publishing house, Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941) was arrested by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz. When a prisoner was chosen to die in reprisal, Kolbe offered to take the place of a father of a family. He died in the starvation bunker and was canonized in 1982.
On the General Roman Calendar, August 14 is a memorial: Saint Maximilian Kolbe, priest and martyr.
Name days on August 14
In countries that keep name days, August 14 is the day for people named Maximilian and Max. These names come from the same saint, as variants, nicknames or forms used in other languages.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Maximilian | March 12 |
| Max | August 14 |
August 14 on the calendar
August 14 is the 226th day of the year (the 227th in a leap year), with 139 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | Saturday |
| 2028 | Monday |
| 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | Wednesday |
Keeping August 14
August 14 falls in summer. As a memorial, the saint is named in the opening prayer of every Mass celebrated that day. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Maximilian and Max, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around August 14
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| August 11 | St. Clare of Assisi |
| August 12 | St. Jane Frances de Chantal |
| August 13 | Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus |
| August 15 | Assumption of Mary |
| August 16 | St. Stephen of Hungary |
| August 17 | St. Hyacinth |
The day before, August 13, is the day of Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus. The day after, August 15, belongs to Assumption of Mary. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.