May 8

On May 8, we remember the martyrdom of Brother Henri Vergès and Sister Paul Hélene of Saint Raymond, who were murdered in 1994 in the library of Casbah, Algeria.

During the following two years, another 17 religious were also martyred during the Algerian civil war.

The decree of the martyrdom of the 19 religious was promulgated by Pope Francis on January 26, 2018 and the “martyrs of Algeria” will soon be beatified.

Father Thomas Georgeon, postulator general of the cause of the martyrs of the Church of Algeria, speaking of the 19 Christians killed in the nineties in Algeria affirms that “they have lived together with love with the little ones in the name of Christ, with respect for the faith of the other.” Therefore, “paying homage to the 19 Christian martyrs means paying homage to the memory of all those who gave their lives in Algeria in the 1990s.”

“It is an opportunity to rediscover the true meaning of the term “martyr”, who is a witness,” insists Father Thomas. “They did not give their lives for an idea, for a cause, but for Him. They did it with a deep love for the land where the Lord had sent them, Algeria. With evangelical attention and delicacy towards the people, especially towards the smallest and humblest, as well as towards the young people. They did it with respect for the faith of the other and with the desire to understand Islam.”

Read more about Br Henri Vergès here.