Ahead of the canonization of the Martyrs of Damascus at Mass celebrated by Pope Francis on October 20, Fr. Luke Gregory of the Custody of the Holy Land says their witness offers a sign of hope and ecumenism for Christians everywhere, especially those in Syria, where Christians make up about 2% of the population.
By Kielce Gussie
VATICAN CITY — On the night of July 9, 1860, eleven men—eight Franciscan friars and three lay Maronites, known collectively as the eleven martyrs of Damascus—were murdered, and, in 1926, Pope Pius XI beatified them.
More than 160 years after their deaths, Pope Francis will canonize these men at Mass in St. Peter’s Square on October 20.
In an interview with Vatican News, Fr. Luke Gregory, a Franciscan priest with the Custody of the Holy Land, described their canonization as a sign of hope in the midst of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Martyrdom: a message of ecumenism
The martyrdom they endured is not very different from the situation of many Christians in the Middle East today.
Damascus, located in Syria, is home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world but only about 2% of the population still identifies with the faith. Over the last decade, Christians have been facing persecution in Syria, following the country’s civil war that began in 2011.
All eleven men will be canonized, even though the group is made up of different Catholic rites. In 2023, Pope Francis established the “Commission of New Martyrs—Witnesses of the Faith” to catalogue Christians who have died for their faith in Christ. Through the Commission, a number of non-Catholic Christians have also been included in the list of martyrs, including the Coptic Christians killed in Libya.
A sign of hope
For Christians in the Middle East, Fr. Gregory said reflecting on the lives of these men “gives a sign of hope because after the bloodshed there is a new spring.”
He explained that the Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land hope the intercession of these martyrs will lead to an end to the conflict in Israel, Palestine, and other parts of the Middle East.
Beyond hope, Fr. Gregory said he prays their example and canonization could be a way to open a line of communication between different religious groups and help bring about peace.
“The whole world will be looking,” he said, at the canonization, which he hopes will “lead to dialogue.”
A place of pilgrimage and prayer
There is a shrine at Batumah in honor of the 11 men, Fr. Gregory noted, adding that it is “being renovated and made open to the public.”
In July 2024, five large canvases with the images of the martyrs dating back to 1926—when they were beatified—were unveiled.
Fr. Gregory expressed his hope that once the conflict in the Middle East ends, pilgrimages to the Holy Land will be able to resume and more people will be able to visit the place of these martyrs of Damascus.
