Pope creates commission to search for 21st century martyrsThe Pope recalled in the Angelus that the account of St. Stephen's martyrdom is narrated in the Acts of the Apostles, chapters 6-7. In this book of the Bible, the saint is described "as a man of good reputation, who served in soup kitchens and administered charity. Precisely because of this generous integrity, he cannot fail to bear witness to what is most precious to him: his faith in Jesus".
It is this faith that leads his opponents to stone him to death. "Everything happens before a young man, Saul, a zealous persecutor of Christians, who acts as 'guarantor' of the execution," the Pope affirmed. The Holy Father then reflected briefly on this situation: "Let us think for a moment about this scene: Saul and Stephen, the persecutor and the persecuted. Between them there seems to be an impenetrable wall (...) However, beyond appearances, there is something stronger that unites them: through Stephen's testimony, in fact, the Lord is already preparing in Saul's heart, without his knowing it, the conversion that will lead him to become the great apostle Paul".
Therefore, even though Stephen dies, his life bears fruit: "His service, his prayer and the faith he proclaims, especially his forgiveness at the point of death, are not in vain".
Martyrs today
The Pope then drew a parallel between what happened then and what is still happening today in many parts of the world: "Today, two thousand years later, we sadly see that persecution continues: there are still - and there are many - who suffer and die for bearing witness to Jesus, just as there are those who are penalized at various levels for behaving in a manner consistent with the Gospel, and those who struggle every day to remain faithful, without fuss, to their good duties, while the world laughs at them and preaches something else".
The Pope launched some reflections on this theme: "Do I care and pray for those who, in various parts of the world, continue to suffer and die for the faith? Do I try to bear witness to the Gospel with consistency, meekness and trust? Do I believe that the seed of good will bear fruit even if I do not see immediate results?
In conclusion, Francis asked the intercession of Mary, Queen of Martyrs, to help us bear witness to Jesus.
After the Angelus
At the end of the Angelus prayer, the Pope recalled all individuals and peoples who suffer discrimination "and struggle for their faith". He also recalled the peoples suffering from war, especially Gaza, Syria and Ukraine.
Francis greeted all the faithful present in the square and invited them to stop in front of the Nativity Scene in the Vatican. "I invite you to let yourselves be carried away by this amazement that becomes adoration," Francis said. Finally, he reminded them "not to forget to pray for me".
