Killing in god’s name ‘satanic’ – pope (3)

Pope added, “Today the Church has more Christian martyrs than in the first centuries”. Immediately after Hamel was killed, he declined to label Islam as “terrorist”, but said every religion has extremist fringes.

“The holiness of recognition procedure … cannot begin until five years after the death of the person”, Mr. Lebrun said, according to Christian Today.

A white rose is attached to a post in front of the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray where Father Jacques Hamel, was killed.

Beatification is one of the first steps in the process leading to sainthood. “Make a sacrifice to our god or gods, ‘ and when they didn’t, when they refused apostasy, they were killed”, Francis said.

On this feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross, the pope pointed out that in the Cross “we understand fully the mystery of Christ, this mystery of self-emptying, of closeness to us”.

“There is fear [in France], without a doubt”, he said after a meeting with Pope Francis on Wednesday.

And the pope reportedly indicated Hamel could be on track for sainthood because of his actions. He has now been declared a martyr by Pope Francis.

So, Pope Francis concluded: “When we are exhausted or despondent, let us not be afraid, let us come to Christ, trust in him, rest in him and joyously serve him”.

Father Hamel reportedly yelled “Satan, get out” at the attackers before he was murdered.

He said Jesus took upon himself the sufferings of others and criticised leaders who did not help others.

The Pope said Father Hamel was just the latest in a long line of Christian martyrs.

The Archbishop celebrated mass with the Pope and around 80 Catholics from Rouen who had made the trip to Rome. Tributes were not only paid by the slain priest’s relatives, but also several church officials as well as French president Francois Hollande.

The altar held a photograph of Fr. Hamel and a bouquet of pink roses. “A good man, meek, a brother, who was always trying to make peace, was assassinated as if it were a criminal”.

During the end of his sermon, Pope Francis reiterated the bloody history of Christian martyrs over the years, stating that throughout the world, there are numerous men and women of the faith who were “murdered, tortured, imprisoned, have their throats slit because they do not deny Jesus Christ”.

“It would be so nice if all religions would say in unison, that the act of killing in God’s name is satanic”, said Pope Francis, at the diocese of Rouen, in front of almost 100 pilgrims.