May 2000
Two Thirds of all Martyrs ever Killed were in the 20th Century: Statements by President of
Commission of New Martyrs
In the 2000 years of the Church’s history, two thirds of all the martyrs died in the 20th
century (close to 27 million out of a total of 40 million). This was the revelation made by
Bishop Michel Hrynchyshyn, Exarch of the Ukrainians of the Byzantine rite in France, and
president of the Commission of New Martyrs of the Vatican Jubilee Committee, a group of
10 experts established a few years ago by the Pope, with the task of gathering
information on the martyrs of our century from the Churches of all the different Christian
confessions. (Zenit).
:: :: ::
In our prayers and personal meditations, let us remember the examples of:
The evangelical Peruvian village leader who was executed March 20 after Marxist
guerrillas declared him guilty of taking part in police and military activities. Antonio Izuisa
Chasnamote, the mayor of Ramal de Aspuzana, died from two gunshots wounds to the
head following a ‘people’s trial’ conducted by some 20 terrorists, who identified
themselves as members of the Shining Path rebel group. They had captured Izuisa as he
returned from a sports outing with his eight children, who witnessed his execution.
La Republica newspaper of Lima reported that Izuisa, 60, asked the terrorists to not kill
him “because, as an evangelical, he preached the Word of God in the community.”
The murder occurred in Ramal de Aspuzana, a jungle community some 60 miles from the
east-central city of Tingo Maria and approximately 225 miles northeast of Lima. The
region had been a hotbed of terrorist activity before the capture of Shining Path leader
Abimael Guzman in 1992. Since then, sporadic Shining Path violence has broken the
prevailing peace in Tingo Maria and its surrounding region.
Recently, guerrillas have been more active in the region, Vinces said. “Shining Path
incursions have increased in the area in an attempt to force and threaten people to not
vote in upcoming presidential elections,” he said.
The manner in which Izuisa died was typical of the Shining Path. “The guerrillas target
individuals for ‘liquidatin’ by having a ‘people’s trial’ and then killing them,” Vinces said.
(Dean Alford, for Compass Direct).
:: :: ::
Sources of the Angolan Council of Christian Churches disclosed that 6 faithful of the
Baptist Church were stoned and crucified by UNITA (National Union for Total
Independence of Angola) rebels, led by Jonas Savimbi. -- (Zenit)
:: :: ::
A Christian-Muslim conflict in Damboa in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno state resulted in
the deaths of 15 Christians, and four churches were burned. The attack on Christians by
Muslims broke out on March 27 and lasted through the next day. Eight Christian-owned
houses and several shops were looted. Thousands of Christians, mostly women and
children, have fled the area. The conflict between Christians and Muslims in the town has
lasted for more than a year. Muslims have been putting pressure on the government to
relocate all churches to the outskirts, because the Muslims say Christian worship services
are a disturbance to them. The Borno state acting police commissioner said the crisis
resulted from the attack on churches by Muslim fanatics armed with axes, knives and
daggers. (Compass Direct)
Back to Saints and Martyrs
|
|