From Mary's "Fiat" to the "Yes" of the Blessed Martyrs of Algeria

On December 8, 2018, the Church beatified 19 new martyrs, who were murdered between 1994 and 1996, in Algeria. These martyrs announced the Lord's unconditional love for all mankind, giving witness to their belonging to Christ and to the Church until martyrdom. Following is an excerpt from the homily delivered by Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciù during the Beatification Mass celebrated in Oran on December 8th:

“Blessed Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions (religious men and women) carry on them the salvific seal of the Redemption of Christ. By inscribing their names in the book of the saved and blessed, the Church wanted to recognize the exemplarity of their virtuous life, the heroism of the death of these extraordinary peacemakers. In Christ, the Church desires to worship the living God: and the glory of God is the person who receives from him the fullness of life.

This fullness of life, the Virgin Mary experienced it in an incomparable way, when the Archangel Gabriel announced to her that she had found favor with God, and that by the action of the Holy Spirit she would conceive Jesus, the Son of the Most High. “Rejoice, full of grace: the Lord is with you!” (Lk 1: 28)

We too today, contemplating these new Blessed, are invited to lay aside all narrow-mindedness and to rejoice, because in them we see the mystery of the eternal holiness of God shine forth."

Vatican News