CT News
Sep 16, 2025 : The papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls became the setting of a special event on the evening of 14 September—the Commemoration of Martyrs and Witnesses of the Faith in the Twenty-first Century.
Coinciding with the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Vatican honored the martyrs and witnesses of the faith from the 21st century. Since the year 2000, 1,624 Christians have been killed for their faith. Their stories have been collected over 25 years by bishops’ conferences, religious orders, and nunciatures worldwide.
The event used the Beatitudes from Matthew's Gospel to highlight the lives of these martyrs and their witness to Christian values—different members and representatives of the various Churches and communities read the prayers.
Pope Leo XIV presided over the service, joined by leaders from Orthodox, Eastern, and Protestant churches. Reflecting on the modern-day martyrs, the Pope emphasized that “they bore witness to their faith without ever using the weapons of force and violence, but rather by embracing the hidden and meek power of the Gospel.” He also affirmed that their sacrifice embodies the theme of the Jubilee Year: hope—a hope “filled with immortality” that continues to spread the Gospel in a world marked by war, hatred, and violence.
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