Pope Francis has taken a significant step in the search for and recognition of the martyrs of the 21st century by establishing the Commission for the New Martyrs – Witnesses of the Faith. The primary purpose of this commission is to investigate and honor those who have been persecuted and killed for their faith in Christ.
“This new Commission marks a further milestone in the pursuit of unity with other Christian denominations,” said Father Bogusław Turek, the Undersecretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, in an interview with ACI Prensa. He explained the details of this initiative and its significance for faith and the “ecumenism of blood.”
Within the framework of the Jubilee 2025, this newly established body, which will be part of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, will focus on collecting testimonies of faith from those directly persecuted and killed by regimes. “The victims of the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka in 2019; the religious sisters Luisa Dall’Orto and Maria De Coppi, murdered in Haiti and Mozambique, respectively; and the crimes against priests Andrea Santoro in Turkey and Jacques Hamel in France are some of the examples of possible ‘new martyrs’ of the last 25 years, whose testimonies could be collected by the aforementioned Commission,” the priest indicated.
Ecumenism of Blood
“The main objective of the Commission is to gather testimonies of those who have shed their blood for their faith in Christ,” Father Turek emphasized. He also pointed out that Pope Francis has made it clear that this quest goes beyond the Catholic Church and includes all Christian denominations, highlighting the concept of “ecumenism of blood” that unites Christians despite historical differences. “The Commission builds upon the work done during the Great Jubilee of 2000, where a similar Commission collected testimonies of faith from martyrs in diverse contexts. The current Commission is established in the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and the roadmap and criteria for collecting this valuable information will be fine-tuned,” he added.
“It is important to highlight,” Father Turek continued, “that the Commission will strive to verify the basic elements of each martyrdom and define well-defined criteria for selecting the testimonies. Although the work will mainly focus on testimonies from the Catholic Church, it will also be open to testimonies from other Christian communities.”
The search for unity in faith and hope
“The Commission for the New Martyrs – Witnesses of the Faith seeks to unite Christians through the blood shed for Christ,” Father Turek noted. “It represents a significant effort to find testimonies of martyrs across all Christian denominations, aiming for unity in faith and hope for a peaceful future.”
Coptic martyrs beheaded by the Islamic State
A relevant example in this context is the recognition of the Coptic martyrs who were beheaded by the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS) on a beach in Libya. “The Holy Father decided to include these Coptic martyrs in the Roman Martyrology, demonstrating the Catholic Church’s openness to other Christian testimonies,” Father Turek said.
Through this initiative, Pope Francis conveys the message that “the testimony of giving one’s life for faith in Christ is not confined to the past but remains relevant today.” Father Turek expressed that the Commission aspires to move beyond mere story collection and instead fosters hope for a better and more peaceful future.
“In a letter on July 5, Pope Francis emphasized that ‘martyrs in the Church are witnesses of hope’ arising from faith in Christ, exemplifying true charity. He highlighted that hope keeps alive the profound conviction that good is more powerful than evil, as God, through Christ, has overcome sin and death,” Father Turek concluded.
The Commission for the New Martyrs – Witnesses of the Faith comprises the following members:
Prefect: Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
President: Monsignor Fabio Fabene, Secretary of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
Vice President: Professor Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio.
Secretary: Monsignor Marco Gnavi, parish priest of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere and former secretary of the Commission “New Martyrs” of the Great Jubilee of 2000.
Members: Father Dominique Arnauld, M.Afr.; Rev. Kokou Mawuena Ambroise Atakpa; Sister Nadia Coppa, A.S.C.; Professor Gianni La Bella; Professor Maria Lupi; Father Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen, O.F.M.Conv.; Deacon Didier Rance; Rev. Roberto Regoli; Rev. Angelo Romano; and Father Arturo Sosa Abascal, S.J.
