Swiss martyr beatified in Barcelona by Catholic Church
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Swiss martyr beatified in Barcelona by Catholic Church
François-Benjamin May (1870-1909), a member of the Marist Brothers congregation, has been recognised as a 'blessed' by the Catholic Church.
The beatification ceremony took place on July 12 in Barcelona, the city where May was assassinated during a social uprising that also degenerated into attacks against religious people. It was presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, official representative of Pope Leo XIV and highest authority in the Catholic Church’s beatification and canonisation processes. Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, co-supervised the event.
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“This beatification is the official recognition of a life entirely given to God, dedicated to education as an act of love and social transformation,” remarked the Marist Brothers’ community to the Keystone-SDA news agency. “Brother Lycarion” – this was his name in the congregation – “embodies the ideal of Marist life: humility, closeness, service and unconditional love for children, especially those from working class backgrounds”.
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The process of beatification had begun in 1966. Almost 60 years later, on January 27, Pope Francis signed the decree recognising François-Benjamin May as a martyr, emphasising “his educational, spiritual and social commitment, as well as his dedication to the most vulnerable”, according to a Vatican press release.
Adapted from Italian by DeepL/ac
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