Eight hundred 15th-century martyrs were canonised by Pope Francis last Sunday. The martyrs’ names are not known and they are called the ‘martyrs of Otranto’ in Italy. In 1480 they were beheaded by the forces of the Ottoman empire when they refused to renounce their Christian faith.

The Pope said the martyrs were killed after the battle had been decided, because they refused to abandon their Christian faith. He then referred to the present day situation of Christians “who, precisely at this time, now, and in many parts of the world, are still suffering violence”. He prayed God to give these Christians “the valour to be faithful and to respond to evil with good”.

A mass-canonisation ceremony of this size is quite unique. As a result, Pope Francis suddenly became the modern Pontiff who has canonised the largest number of new saints. The decision to canonise the martyrs had been approved by Pope Benedict XVI before his resignation.

Catholics on the rise

According to official figures published by the Vatican, the world’s Catholic population rose by 1.5 per cent in 2011. The Catholic proportion of the world’s overall population remained steady at 17.5 per cent.

The fastest increase was registered in Africa, which saw a 2.3 per cent increase. On the other hand, in Europe and the Americas the Catholic population grew at only 0.3 per cent. This reflects the minimal growth in the overall population in these continents.

Just under half of the world’s Catholics (48.8 per cent) live in North or South America. Europe accounts for 23.5 per cent of the Catholic population, Africa 16 per cent, Asia 10.9 per cent and 0.8 per cent in Oceania.

The number of Catholic priests in the world grew slowly worldwide but there was a substantial growth in the number of priests in Africa and Asia. There was an increase of 7.5 per cent in the number of seminarians. The large increases in Africa and Asia made good for the decrease in Europe and the Americas.

Bishops object to draft convention

The bishops of Lithuania, while praising the aims of a proposed European convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, urged the Government not to sign it, as other aspects are considered as objectionable.

The bishops noted that Article 4 of the treaty would introduce “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as categories in Lithuanian anti-discrimination law.

Article 12, which obliges nations to “promote changes in the social and cultural patterns of behaviour of women and men with a view to eradicating prejudices, customs, traditions and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority of women or on stereotyped roles for women and men” could cause Lithuanian cultural and religious traditions to be viewed as a threat to women, the bishops noted.

The bishops also expressed concern that Article 14, which mandates instruction in “non-stereotyped gender roles… in formal curricula and at all levels of education” could pave the way for the promotion of homosexuality and “transsexualism” in Lithuanian schools.

Christians flogged in Saudi Arabia

A Saudi and a Lebanese Christian were flogged and imprisoned by a court in Saudi Arabia. They were found guilty of helping in the conversion of a Muslim to Christianity and helping a young woman escape the country.

Sweden has given refuge to the young woman, who is denying that she was in any way forced to become a Christian. She said she converted voluntarily. She is refusing to return to Saudi Arabia as she could be given the death penalty.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)

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