杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

杏MAP导航 Leo XIV is set to preside at a prayer service to remember the many Christians of our time who have been killed on account of their faith in Christ.

The Holy Father will be joined by representatives of other Christian Churches and ecclesial communities for an 鈥淓cumenical Commemoration of Martyrs and Witnesses of the Faith of the Twenty-first Century,鈥� which will take place on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Sunday, 14 September, in the Papal Basilica of St Paul鈥檚 Outside the Walls.

The Commemoration is an initiative of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and its Commission of New Martyrs 鈥� Witnesses to the Faith, which was established in 2023 by 杏MAP导航 Francis 鈥渢o identify the Witnesses of the Faith in this first quarter century and to continue it into the future.鈥�

Speaking on Friday to members of the Ecumenical Joint Working Group of the Catholic Church and the World Council of Church鈥檚, the prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch, said the commemoration 鈥渨ill give visible expression to the conviction that the Church is already one in the blood of her martyrs.鈥�

Preserving memory

At a press conference on Monday presenting the Commemoration, the President of the Commission of New Martyrs, Archbishop Fabio Fabene, described the Commission鈥檚 work, saying that their research 鈥渉as embraced all Christian denominations, since the vitality of baptism unites all Christians who gave their lives,鈥� and adding, 鈥渢hus is realized the 鈥榚cumenism of blood,鈥� as Saint John Paul II liked to call martyrdom.鈥�

鈥淭he Church is already united,鈥� Abp Fabene continued, 鈥渁nd 杏MAP导航 Leo in turn hope that the blood of these martyrs will be 鈥榓 seed of peace, reconciliation, fraternity, and love.鈥欌�� The Archbishop added, 鈥淭he Commission鈥檚 work of documentation is meant to ensure these stories are not lost, but preserved in memory."

The 'geography' of modern martyrs

Following Archbishop Fabene鈥檚 remarks, Professor Andrea Riccardi, Vice-President of the Commission, described the 鈥済eography鈥� of the witnesses of the faith, noting witnesses killed in the Americas by organized crime, drug traffickers, or those who exploit the environment; the martyrs of Europe, including missionaries who were killed in distant lands; the persecutions of the Middle East and northern Africa, especially Eastern Christians; and Christians at prayer in Asia, such as the victims of the Easter bombing in Sri Lanka in 2019

Professor Riccardi noted sub-Saharan Africa as the continent 鈥渨here Christians die most,鈥� pointing to victims of jihadist attacks, as well as ethnic-political violence targeting missionaries.

Unfortunately, he said, 鈥淐hristians continue to die鈥� throughout the world. 鈥淭he manner of their lives and deaths changes, but they continue to die as witnesses of the Gospel 鈥� passionate for God and their brothers and sisters, authentic servants of humanity, free communicators of the faith.鈥�

A great encouragement to unity

Finally, the Commission鈥檚 Secretary, Monsignor Marco Gnavi, explained that the commemoration of the twenty-first century witnesses of the faith would take the form of a Liturgy of the Word, presided over by 杏MAP导航 Leo, with 24 representatives of various Christian denominations taking part. 鈥淭hey represent the Christian oikoumene that desires to be permeated by this heritage,鈥� he said.

Msgr Gnavi explained, 鈥淭his liturgy will allow the Word of God to speak and broaden our memory to include that of other Christians of different confessions,鈥� adding that it stands in continuity with the similar ecumenical celebration led by 杏MAP导航 St John Paul II at the Colosseum during the Great Jubilee of the year 2000.

Noting that the ceremony will include testimonies from some of the martyrs, Msgr Gnavi said, 鈥淏eing side by side, while the martyrs speak of their life through their death, is a great encouragement toward unity 鈥� among ourselves and within the whole human family we long for in love.鈥�