February 24, 2018

‘Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz’ to be presented at Holyoke church

REGIONAL
Staff report

(IObserve photos/courtesy of Saint Luke Productions)

HOLYOKE – Actor Leonardo Defilippis, of Saint Luke Productions, will star in a production of “Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz,” to be presented on Friday, March 9 at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of the Cross Parish, here.

The professional play tells the story of Father Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Catholic priest who was imprisoned in the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. He was forced into slave labor, tortured and finally came forward to take the place of a married man, who was condemned to death by starvation. Forty-one years after the heroic act of sacrificing his life for another, he was canonized by St. John Paul II who called him “the saint of our difficult age.”

The drama, which is being performed across the country, includes technological artistry in the form of a majestic orchestral soundtrack, theatrical lighting, and a video backdrop that sets the story in a historical yet relevant context. The production runs 90 minutes, and is suitable for ages 10 and up.

As founder and president of Saint Luke Productions, Defilippis has for 37 years produced numerous one-man and one-woman plays on the lives of the saints and the Gospels, and has created feature films and television and radio/internet programming. The company’s newest live production “Tolton: From Slave to Priest,” also is currently touring the country.

“We live in an exciting, challenging time, and we need heroes to show us the way we should live in an increasingly secular world,” said Defilippis.

For more information about Saint Luke Productions, visit www.stlukeproductions.com.

Admission for the March 9 local performance will be $12 for adults and $10 for ages 18 and under. For tickets and more information, call the parish office at (413) 532-5661 or visit www.ourladyofthecross.com.