Martyrs of Love and Faith in the 21st Century

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV Commemorates them in an Ecumenical Celebration: “Many brothers and sisters, even today, carry the same cross as our Lord…: like him, they are persecuted, condemned and killed”

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Witnesses of Christianity and servants of humanity... They are truly witnesses of faith and hope... The Kingdom of God crowned them as witnesses to Jesus Christ after an earthly journey of suffering filled with heavenly joy. They carried the Church in their hearts and traveled as apostles of Christ to preach His name throughout the world despite all the challenges, hardships, and difficulties that surrounded them.

The angels rejoice over them, and the faithful raise their Prayers in honor of all the Martyrs of the Lord who tirelessly devoted their efforts, spreading the values ​​of love and fraternity, and hoping for peace, tranquility, and stability throughout the world.

The Vatican commemorated the Martyrs of the Church on Sunday, September 14, coinciding with the Feast of the Holy Cross, in an Ecumenical celebration commemorating the Martyrs and Witnesses of the Faith in the 21st Century. A Liturgical celebration presided over by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV included representatives of the Orthodox Churches, the Ancient Eastern Churches, Ecclesial communities, and Ecumenical organizations.

Indeed, the celebration provided an oasis of spiritual Prayer and an Ecumenical moment calling for renewed gratitude for the gift of witness, which continues to this day.

But who are the Martyrs and Witnesses of the Faith in the 21st Century? And how have they been recognized?

Martyrs of Hope from Around the World

The Holy See Press Office announced during a conference dedicated to the Commission for New Martyrs – Witnesses of the Faith that approximately 1,700 martyrs and witnesses of the faith in in the 21st century have been recognized by this commission, established by His Holiness the late Pope Francis in 2023 within the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

It is worth noting that these Martyrs have left many marks of faith on all continents of the world, bearing witness to the Lord Jesus and proclaiming His teachings. According to data from the conference held on September 7, Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio and Vice-President of the Commission which includes eleven members, noted that the number of Martyrs reached 304 from America, 43 from Europe killed in the Old Continent, 110 others who fell during missionary missions around the world, 277 from the Middle East and the Maghreb, 357 from Asia and Oceania, and 643 from Africa.

In this context, the conference explained that the studied stories of the Martyrs came from various Church Families, Dioceses, Bishops' Conferences, Religious Orders, and Church institutions from around the world. These stories document religious persecution, the violence of criminal organizations, the exploitation of natural resources, terrorist attacks, ethnic conflicts, and other reasons why Christians are being killed to this day.

Martyrs of Faith and Love

Despite all the suffering they endured, the Martyrs of the Lord were able to deepen their faith and transmit it to all the inhabitants of the earth with great hope and love. This was emphasized by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at the Commemoration of the Martyrs and Witnesses of the Faith in the 21st Century, which he presided over in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

In his Homily, he said: “Many brothers and sisters, even today, carry the same cross as our Lord on account of their witness to the faith in difficult situations and hostile contexts: like him, they are persecuted, condemned and killed. It is of them that Jesus says: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Mt 5:10-11)."

Regarding the power of love, the Supreme Pontiff emphasized that “martyria unto death is “the truest communion possible with Christ who shed his Blood, and by that sacrifice brings near those who once were far off (cf. Eph 2:13)” (Encyclical Letter Ut Unum Sint, 84). Today too, we can affirm with John Paul II that, where hatred seemed to have permeated every aspect of life, these courageous servants of the Gospel and martyrs of the faith clearly demonstrated that “love is stronger than death” (Commemoration of the Witnesses of Faith in the Twentieth Century, 7 May 2000)”.

His Holiness also expressed the importance of witness in a world riven by conflicts and wars, noting that “during this Jubilee Year, we celebrate the hope of these courageous witnesses of the faith. It is a hope filled with immortality because their martyrdom continues to spread the Gospel in a world marked by hatred, violence and war; it is a hope filled with immortality because, even though they have been killed in body, no one can silence their voice or erase the love they have shown; it is a hope filled with immortality because their witness lives on as a prophecy of the victory of good over evil...”.

With the Martyrs' hope and their firm faith in God's love, their life path remains a ray of light amidst all the darkness of life, and their determination to continue their service in the Lord's field remains a sign of victory, wisdom, and piety. They are worthy of eternal life crowned with holiness and the Lord's blessings!