Pope Francis said
Wednesday that slain French priest, Father Jacques Hamel, is a
''martyr'', possibly indicating he could be on the way to
sainthood.
Speaking at a Mass at the Vatican to commemorate the
priest, who was murdered on July 26 while saying mass at his
church near Rouen by two Islamist extremists, the pontiff said
Father Hamel ''is a martyr and martyrs are blessed''.
In his sermon, Francis urged all people of faith to pray to
Hamel ''to give us mildness, brotherhood, peace'' as well as
''the courage to tell the truth: killing in the name of God is
satanic''.
The pontiff spoke at a special Mass for Father Hamel's family
and some 80 pilgrims from the Rouen area of France where two
Islamist militants stormed into the church in
Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, forced the 85-year-old priest to his
knees and slit his throat, chanting in Arabic.
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