Pope Leo XIV says the "evangelizing power of the new witnesses of faith represents one of the Church's greatest resources for announcing the Gospel in today's world..." FULL TEXT
Pope Leo XIV spoke to participants in the Vatican on Wednesday morning at the Conference, titled, '21st Century: A New Age of Martyrs?', organized by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and the Dicastery's Commission of the New Martyrs – Witnesses of the Faith.
The Conference took place on Tuesday at the Pontifical Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome and provided an opportunity for reflection and study on the phenomenon of contemporary martyrdom, through testimonies and contributions focusing on different geographical contexts and the many forms of Christian witness in our time.
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE STUDY CONFERENCE
PROMOTED BY THE DICASTARY FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS
in the Vatican's Clementine Hall
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
_______________
Your Eminence, dear brothers and sisters!
The Conference took place on Tuesday at the Pontifical Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome and provided an opportunity for reflection and study on the phenomenon of contemporary martyrdom, through testimonies and contributions focusing on different geographical contexts and the many forms of Christian witness in our time.
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE STUDY CONFERENCE
PROMOTED BY THE DICASTARY FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS
in the Vatican's Clementine Hall
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
_______________
Your Eminence, dear brothers and sisters!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you!
I am pleased to welcome you at the conclusion of the conference "The 21st Century: A New Time of Martyrs?" , organized by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and the Commission for New Martyrs – Witnesses to the Faith. This term is intended to indicate a broader category, distinct from martyrs whose cause for beatification is underway and from those officially registered in the catalog of the Blessed and Saints. The Commission, established by Pope Francis in 2023 , aims to collect testimonies of those who have lost their lives for Christ, regardless of the canonical process, so that their example is not lost.
These are brothers and sisters who, in different geographical, historical, and political contexts, have given their lives for the Gospel. They remind us of the words of the Risen One in his final appearance before ascending to heaven: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" ( Acts 1:8). Their testimony tells us that our own time, dominated by the culture of power, of limitless force, and the incessant development of armed systems (cf. Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas , chap. V), is also a time that witnesses the heroism of those we like to call "new witnesses to the faith."
Many of them are killed for abuse of power or by criminal organizations because, as Christians, they oppose their injustices in the name of the Gospel. The concept of " witness to the faith" was formulated precisely to embrace and honor complex historical situations in which the motivation of the perpetrators cannot be explicitly traced back to "hatred of the faith." From this perspective, the work of the Commission for New Martyrs – Witnesses to the Faith, supported by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, is historical and informative, not legal, in nature. It focuses on the victim's disposition rather than the persecutor's motivations. That is, it focuses on the victim's remaining faithful to Christ in fulfilling their evangelical commitment, and did so until death.
Jesus himself had foretold it during the Last Supper: "In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world!" ( Jn 16:33). In these witnesses of faith, it is clear that perseverance in goodness and faithfulness to the point of the supreme gift of self in love have drawn strength from the victory of the Lamb slain over evil, the only certainty capable of offering profound peace to those who believe in Him.
In them, the Christian style is heroically manifested, one who never seeks opposition, but rather defuses it with the effectiveness of meekness. As Pope Francis wrote , "The disciple is capable of offering his entire life and risking it even to martyrdom as a witness to Jesus Christ. However, his dream is not to be filled with enemies, but rather that the Word be welcomed and manifest its liberating and renewing power" (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium , 24).
The evangelizing power of the new witnesses of faith represents one of the Church's greatest resources for announcing the Gospel in today's world, according to the famous statement of Saint Paul VI in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi : "Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, […] or if he listens to teachers, it is because they are witnesses" (n. 41).
Witnesses to the faith do not propose an ideology, but demonstrate a faith lived in everyday life. Their credibility stems from the coherence between words and actions, a coherence often carried to the point of supreme sacrifice. In indifferent cultural contexts, the "holiness next door" and silent heroism become meaningful arguments, capable of challenging everyone, even the most wary.
Dearest, we admire these brothers and sisters of ours as stars shining in the darkness of selfishness and oppression. They help the Church to reflect more fully the light of Christ the Lord, to show contemporary humanity the path that leads to the civilization of love. We are all called to contribute "to this horizon of commitment, to this construction of hope" (Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas , 185). The witnesses of faith, by giving their lives for justice, truth, peace, and freedom, have effectively contributed to the coming of the new heavens and the new earth, which we confidently await from the mercy of God.
I thank you for your commitment to this precious service, and I hope your days of study and discussion will be fruitful. May the intercession of Mary Most Holy, Queen of Martyrs, obtain this for you, and may the Apostolic Blessing, which I heartily impart to you all, accompany you.
Peace be with you!
I am pleased to welcome you at the conclusion of the conference "The 21st Century: A New Time of Martyrs?" , organized by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and the Commission for New Martyrs – Witnesses to the Faith. This term is intended to indicate a broader category, distinct from martyrs whose cause for beatification is underway and from those officially registered in the catalog of the Blessed and Saints. The Commission, established by Pope Francis in 2023 , aims to collect testimonies of those who have lost their lives for Christ, regardless of the canonical process, so that their example is not lost.
These are brothers and sisters who, in different geographical, historical, and political contexts, have given their lives for the Gospel. They remind us of the words of the Risen One in his final appearance before ascending to heaven: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" ( Acts 1:8). Their testimony tells us that our own time, dominated by the culture of power, of limitless force, and the incessant development of armed systems (cf. Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas , chap. V), is also a time that witnesses the heroism of those we like to call "new witnesses to the faith."
Many of them are killed for abuse of power or by criminal organizations because, as Christians, they oppose their injustices in the name of the Gospel. The concept of " witness to the faith" was formulated precisely to embrace and honor complex historical situations in which the motivation of the perpetrators cannot be explicitly traced back to "hatred of the faith." From this perspective, the work of the Commission for New Martyrs – Witnesses to the Faith, supported by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, is historical and informative, not legal, in nature. It focuses on the victim's disposition rather than the persecutor's motivations. That is, it focuses on the victim's remaining faithful to Christ in fulfilling their evangelical commitment, and did so until death.
Jesus himself had foretold it during the Last Supper: "In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world!" ( Jn 16:33). In these witnesses of faith, it is clear that perseverance in goodness and faithfulness to the point of the supreme gift of self in love have drawn strength from the victory of the Lamb slain over evil, the only certainty capable of offering profound peace to those who believe in Him.
In them, the Christian style is heroically manifested, one who never seeks opposition, but rather defuses it with the effectiveness of meekness. As Pope Francis wrote , "The disciple is capable of offering his entire life and risking it even to martyrdom as a witness to Jesus Christ. However, his dream is not to be filled with enemies, but rather that the Word be welcomed and manifest its liberating and renewing power" (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium , 24).
The evangelizing power of the new witnesses of faith represents one of the Church's greatest resources for announcing the Gospel in today's world, according to the famous statement of Saint Paul VI in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi : "Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, […] or if he listens to teachers, it is because they are witnesses" (n. 41).
Witnesses to the faith do not propose an ideology, but demonstrate a faith lived in everyday life. Their credibility stems from the coherence between words and actions, a coherence often carried to the point of supreme sacrifice. In indifferent cultural contexts, the "holiness next door" and silent heroism become meaningful arguments, capable of challenging everyone, even the most wary.
Dearest, we admire these brothers and sisters of ours as stars shining in the darkness of selfishness and oppression. They help the Church to reflect more fully the light of Christ the Lord, to show contemporary humanity the path that leads to the civilization of love. We are all called to contribute "to this horizon of commitment, to this construction of hope" (Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas , 185). The witnesses of faith, by giving their lives for justice, truth, peace, and freedom, have effectively contributed to the coming of the new heavens and the new earth, which we confidently await from the mercy of God.
I thank you for your commitment to this precious service, and I hope your days of study and discussion will be fruitful. May the intercession of Mary Most Holy, Queen of Martyrs, obtain this for you, and may the Apostolic Blessing, which I heartily impart to you all, accompany you.
Translated from Source: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2026/09/16/0720/01344.html
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