Anna Kolesárová

Anna Kolesárová (14 July 1928 – 22 November 1944) was a Slovak Roman Catholic virgin and a martyr. Her life was cut short in 1944 when a Soviet soldier killed her after she resisted his rape attempt. Those who knew her best described her as being a modest and simple girl who attended Mass each morning and assumed care of the household following her mother's death in her late childhood.

Kolesárová's beatification process opened in 2004 and she became titled as a Servant of God upon the cause's launch. The process culminated on 6 March 2018 after Pope Francis confirmed both that she had died in defensum castitatis ("in defense of chastity") and her forthcoming beatification. Kolesárová refused his advances and pulled herself out of his grip as he attempted to rape her. The soldier pursued her to the basement. The girl had made her confession and had received Communion not long before she was killed.

Aftermath Lukáč was the parish priest for the village of Pavlovce nad Uhom and later himself investigated her death. He interviewed the villagers and obtained signed statements from five witnesses. He then recorded the incident into his parish's chronicles and in the register noted that she died to defend her innocence.

The house that she once lived still remains. It now is used by an organization founded and dedicated to her for people of her age. The Domček organization organizes volunteer work as well as social events and workshops. There are also frequent pilgrimages to her grave (three times per year, in February, April and August), while in Pavlovce nad Uhom there is a large gathering that is dedicated to her which is popular among adolescents.

Beatification The beatification process commenced on 3 July 2004 after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints titled her as a Servant of God and declared "nihil obstat" (no objections) to the cause. Theologians approved the cause following their assessment of the dossier as did the C.C.S. members later on 6 February 2018.

Her beatification received official confirmation on 6 March 2018 after Pope Francis confirmed that Kolesárová had died "in defensum castitatis" (meaning to defend herself as a virgin).

The current postulator for this cause is Doc. Andrea Ambrosi. The current vice-postulator is Juraj Jurica.