Pope Francis has declared as saints 16 Carmelite martyrs executed by guillotine during the French Revolution and confirmed the martyrdom and heroic virtues of five others in a series of decrees published yesterday. Source: Catholic Review.
Using what the Vatican called an “equipollent” or equivalent canonisation, Pope Francis approved adding to the canon of saints Blessed Teresa of St Augustine and 15 other members of the Carmelites of Compiègne killed during the French Reign of Terror.
The French revolutionary government outlawed religious life in 1790 and the community of Carmelites in Compiègne was forced to leave their convent two years later.
In 1794, after being discovered to have continued living in community as consecrated women, they were tried and publicly executed by guillotine.
The decree, supported by the cardinals and bishops who are members of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, was approved by Pope Francis and extends devotion to the Carmelite martyrs to the universal church.
The other decrees approved by Pope Francis yesterday included recognition of the martyrdom of Archbishop Eduard Profitlich, who died in a Russian prison in 1942.
The archbishop was arrested after Germany’s attack on the Soviet Union in 1941 and was taken prisoner where he was charged with anti-Soviet agitation and espionage. He died from exposure on February 22, 1942.
The Pope also recognised the martyrdom of Italian Salesian Father Elia Comini, who was born in 1910, and killed out of hatred of the faith in 1944, during World War II.
The priest had been serving the local population in his home town, which had become a fierce battleground between the German occupiers and the Allies.
He and Father Martino Capelli celebrated Mass, taught catechism, cared for refugees and the sick, buried the dead and sought to be peacemakers, even between the Allies and Germans.
Under enemy fire, Fathers Comini and Capelli went to help some 69 hostages being held by the German SS, but the priests were accused of being spies and were incarcerated with other prisoners, to whom they also ministered. They were all condemned to death, and Fr Comini was shot with the others.
The recognition of a sainthood candidate’s martyrdom clears the way to beatification.
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Pope declares 16 new saints killed during French Revolution (CNS via Catholic Review)
