The beatification of 47 Marist Brothers martyred will take place in Rome on 28 October 2007. Victims of the religious persecutions that took place in Spain during the 1930s, these men are now recognized by our Church as martyrs, heroic witnesses to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

These brothers of ours are also the first among us to be beatified. On the day of the ceremony itself, their causes will be joined together with those of 451 others whose zeal for the gospel cost them their lives. The group includes 2 bishops, some married men and women, several secular priests and seminarians, other religious?men and women, laity and young people.

This important moment in the history of our Institute gives all of us an opportunity to unite ourselves with the universal Church in giving thanks for the gift of martyrs, especially among those who share our way of life. The public commitment of our brothers who will be beatified to live fully and radically the gospel of Jesus Christ as the plan of their life brought them to the point of the cross. In embracing this journey as their destiny, each of them also became a seed of new life not only for our Institute and its mission but for our Church universal also.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Accommodation at the General House
Accommodation is limited at the General House; for this reason we will follow the fol-lowing criteria:
We can only accommodate Marist Brothers;
Brothers coming from Provinces that do not have groups organised to come to Rome;
We will allocate the places available according to the order in which the registra-tions arrive, until the total number is filled:
Requests for accommodation must be addressed to Brother Juan Arconada: [email protected]; he will respond to each individual case.

Pilgrim?s Bag
The General House is offering to all the pilgrims in Rome, on the occasion of the Beatifi-cation of our forty-seven Marist Brothers, a specifically Marist ?pilgrim?s bag? which will contain several publications, an identification scarf and other souvenirs, for the price of ten euros.
The pilgrims coming from Spain through the travel agency organised by the Provinces will all receive a pilgrim?s bag.
Other pilgrims will be able to request this pilgrim?s bag from the General House (use the sheet organised for this purpose) and collect it there on their arrival in Rome.

Entry to the ceremony of the beatification
Entry to the celebration of the Beatification will be included in the ?pilgrim?s bag?.
You can also request these from the General House but they need to be collected suffi-ciently in advance.
For this, contact Brother Onorino Rota: [email protected]

PROGRAMME OF CEREMONIES FOR THE MARIST FAMILY

26th October, Friday
From 10:00am until 7:00pm: ?WALKING WITH OUR MARTYRS?: guided visit to the Marist General House in groups, following an itinerary that brings us closer to the origins of the Marist Institute and to the person of our martyrs. The visit will last about an hour and will be done in an ambiance of prayer and thanksgiving. Groups will be able to choose to do their visit at the times indicated over four days.

27th October, Saturday
11:00am: MARIST CELEBRATION at the Sanctuary of the ?Madonna del Divino Amore? venerated by the faithful of Rome since 1740 until the present time.
There is the possibility of having a fraternal meal on site in the grounds of the Sanctuary (each group or person will need to plan and organise this themselves).
From 2:00pm until 7:00pm: ?WALKING WITH OUR MARTYRS?: guided visit to the Marist General House in groups.

28th October, Sunday
At 10:00am: CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST AND BEATIFICATION OF 498 martyrs of the XX century in Spain. Basilica of Saint Paul-Outside-The-Walls.
From 2:00pm until 5:00pm: ?WALKING WITH OUR MARTYRS?: guided visit to the Marist General House in groups.
At 5:00pm: At the General House, a MEETING OF THE MARIST BROTHERS who have come to the Beatification with the Brother Superior General and his Council.

29th October, Monday
At 10:00am: CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST, in thanksgiving for the beatification of 498 martyrs of the XX century in Spain. Saint Peter?s Basilica at the Vatican.
From 10:00am until 7:00pm: ?WALKING WITH OUR MARTYRS?: guided visit to the Marist General House in groups.