On Sunday, 20th October, in St Peter’s square, the Holy Father canonized eight Franciscan Friars and three Maronite Lay who were martyred in 1860 in Damascus during the persecutions against the Christians by Drusi Sciiti. The new Franciscan saints are: Manuel Ruiz López, Carmelo Bolta Bañuls, Engelbert Kolland, Nicanor Ascanio Soria, Nicolás María Alberca Torres, Pedro Nolasco Soler Méndez, Francisco Pinazo Peñalver and Juan Jacob Fernández. The three Manronite saints are: Francesco Massabki, Mooti Massabki, Raffaele Massabki. Were canonized others Saints: Joseph Allamano, Marie-Léonie Paradis and Elena Guerra.
In his homily, the Holy Father referred to the new saints as faithful, fervent and servants of missionary passion adding that “These new saints lived the life of service like Jesus: The faith and the apostolate which they carried out did not feed their worldly desires and hunger for power but on the contrary, they made themselves servants of their brothers and sisters, creative in doing the good, steadfast in difficulties and generous to the end”.
At the canonization were present: Br Massimo Fusarelli, OFM, Minister General, Cardinal, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, the Patriarch of Jerusalem of Latin rite; Br Francesco Patton, OFM, Custos of the Holy Land and various friars coming from the Custody.
After the Eucharistic celebration, in an interview, Cardinal Pizzaballa commented that: “The martyrs are a Christian response to violence and hatred. They were killed because of hatred. The response to violence and hatred is self-giving, the cross, a lesson for us today who live in a dramatic situation. How come we have lived it for many years? We are to remember that not by force, not by violence nor politics but as the gift which opens us to the future”. In the presence of the friars of the Holy Land, the Patriarch reminded the friars that “They have had had an important role in the Holy Land as they are always among those who live at the margins of society. Therefore, there is a need of a continuous Franciscan presence and highest Christian witness. There is a need of a link, a link with a Holy place. A link with what the Holy Land reminds us of: The memorial of the death and resurrection of Jesus”.
In an interview the Custos of the Holy Land said that: “It is an important canonization because the context in which we friars live is similar to the context in which the new Saints were martyred. They were killed with so many people who suffered with them. The year 1860 was characterized with conflicts among various religious communities of Lebanon and Syria. Today’s canonization reminds us that part of our Christian experience is a call to live and witness the Gospel even in difficult situations. Martyrdom according to the word itself, is witness, extreme testimony and radical fidelity and to love as Jesus Christ loved”. The Custos was asked on how these new saints can become instruments of peace in the Holy Land. He answered: “I believe that they are instruments of peace because they suffered because of violence without responding to violence with violence. We should not forget that there is a dimension of grace. By the grace of God, they martyrs are intercessors. I would believe that because they gave their life as Jesus did, their intercessions are efficacious and powerful”.
