Christian martyrs from across denominations hold a place of honour in the Church, Pope Francis said yesterday, highlighting their examples of faith and courage that continue to inspire Christians today. Source: CNS.
“Even today, in many parts of the world, there are many martyrs who give their lives for Christ,” he told participants in a conference on martyrs organised by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
“In many cases,” the Pope said, “Christians are persecuted because, pushed by their faith in God, they defend justice, truth, peace, human dignity.”
The conference, titled “No Greater Love: Martyrdom and Offering of Life,” took place in Rome this week and featured talks by scholars, theologians and religious leaders exploring the theological, historical and cultural dimensions of martyrdom.
Meeting with conference participants yesterday, Pope Francis pointed to the enduring courage and sacrifice of modern-day martyrs, such as the 21 Coptic Christians who were kidnapped and beheaded in Libya in 2015.
Although they were not Catholics, “they were Christians, they are martyrs and the Church venerates them as its own martyrs”, the Pope said.
“With martyrdom there is equality. The same happens in Uganda with the Anglican martyrs,” he said, referring to the Uganda Martyrs, a group of 23 Anglican and 22 Catholic converts executed in the late 19th century for their faith.
The Pope quoted his formal proclamation of the Holy Year 2025, Spes Non Confundit (“Hope Does Not Disappoint”), stating that martyrdom is “the most convincing testimony” to hope.
That’s why, Pope Francis said, he instituted a commission in the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to study and document the lives and testimonies of contemporary martyrs from various Christian denominations, so that their witness can inspire faith and unity among Christians during the Holy Year 2025.
Martyrs do not require a confirmed miracle to be beatified, he noted, because “the martyrdom is sufficient.” Joking, he told members of the saints’ dicastery, “that way we save a bit of time, paper and money”.
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Pope: Church venerates Christian martyrs from all denominations (By Justin McLellan, CNS)
