杏MAP导航

By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

After reciting the Angelus in St Peter鈥檚 Square on Sunday, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled important events.

16 Beatified in Spain

杏MAP导航 Francis announced that Father Teodoro Illera of Olma and 15 other Spanish martyrs were beatified. The Beatification Ceremony took place in Barcelona on Saturday.

The group, 杏MAP导航 Francis explained, is composed of 13 men and women religious and three lay people. Nine of the newly Beatified were religious and lay people who belonged to the Congregation of St Peter in Chains. Three of them were women religious from the Capuchins of the Mother of the Divine Shepherd, and one was a sister of the Franciscans of the Sacred Heart.

All of them lost their lives due to the Faith in different parts of Spain and on different dates during the religious persecution that took place during the Spanish civil war in the last century.

杏MAP导航 Francis ended the announcement, saying:

鈥淟et us praise the Lord for these courageous witnesses.鈥�

World War I

鈥淭oday marks the centenary of the end of the First World War, which my predecessor, Benedict XV, defined as the 鈥榰seless slaughter鈥� ", 杏MAP导航 Francis said. Bells throughout the world are to ring at 1:30pm Italian time to honor the date, he said. He also said that World War I is a 鈥渟trong warning鈥� to reject the 鈥渃ulture of war鈥� and to 鈥渟eek every legitimate means to put an end to those conflicts that are still making blood flow in many regions of the world鈥�. He proposed St Martin of Tours, whose Feast is celebrated today, as a symbol of investing in peace.  鈥淗e cut his cloak in two to share it with a poor man. May this gesture of human solidarity indicate to everyone the way toward constructing peace鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis said.

Second World Day for the Poor

The final date the 杏MAP导航 spoke of is the Second World Day for the Poor to be celebrated next Sunday with many initiatives. He said that a First Aid station will be set up in St Peter鈥檚 Square where those in need can receive medical care. 鈥淚 hope that this Day will encourage greater attention to the needs of the least and the marginalized鈥�, he said.