French policeman died a hero’s death thanks to Mary

Arnaud Beltrame was a French policeman who voluntarily changed places with a hostage during the March 23, 2018 terrorist attack in Trèbes (France) and died from his injuries. His sacrifice earned him a national tribute.

For the first time, and 3 years after his death, his wife Marielle Beltrame and Father Jean-Baptiste Golfier, canon regular of Saint Augustine at the Abbey of Lagrasse (France) who prepared the couple for marriage, released a joint testimony about Lt. Col. Beltrame’s life and spiritual journey.

Arnaud Beltrame experienced his conversion at age 33. In 2015, he asked the Virgin Mary to help him meet the woman of his life, and soon after he met Marielle, whom he married. They first had a civil marriage, then decided to prepare for a religious wedding at the Abbey of Lagrasse.

On March 23, 2018, a few miles from the supermarket where Arnaud Beltrame was held hostage, the canons of Lagrasse Abbey began to pray. Father Jean-Baptiste recalls: "The prior called us to pray. We prayed Psalm 88, which announces the sufferings of Christ." But he had no idea of what was unfolding inside the supermarket. Then he received "a singular grace" from God: a sudden vision, as in a flash, of Arnaud Beltrame covered in blood. "That had never happened to me before. I didn't understand the meaning of it, until 8 p.m. when people told me that Arnaud had been taken hostage."

When he arrived at the hospital to administer the last rites to Beltrame, the priest placed a miraculous medal on the injured man's shoulder so that "he could live his last moments under the protection of the Virgin Mary, whom he loved so much."

Clémence de Longraye

Adapted from: Famille Chretienne