Pope Francis remembers the courage of persecuted Christians

In the commemoration of Saint Stephen, the first martyr in history, Pope Francis reflected on how the testimony of this saint transformed the heart of the future apostle Saint Paul.

During the feast of Saint Stephen, Pope Francis evoked the figure of the first martyr, whose death for the sake of Christ marked the beginning of the conversion of his persecutor, the future Saint Paul. “Let us consider this scene for a moment,” said the Pontiff, “Paul and Stephen, the persecutor and the persecuted. Between them there seems to exist an impenetrable wall, as solid as the fundamentalism of the young Pharisee and the stones thrown at the man condemned to death.” . However, beyond appearances, “there is something more powerful that unites them: through Stephen’s testimony, the Lord is preparing in Saul’s heart, without him knowing it, the conversion that will lead him to be a great apostle”. The Holy Father rescued the ancient affirmation that the blood of martyrs is the seed of new Christians.

This truth persists even two thousand years later, as the persecution continues. There are still many who die to bear witness to Jesus. “Today, as then, the seed of their sacrifices, apparently perishable, sprouts and bears fruit, because God, through them, continues to transform hearts and save men.”

Pope Francis urged prayer for all those facing persecution and posed the question: “Am I seeking to bear witness to the Gospel with consistency and confidence? Do I believe that the seed of good will bear fruit even if we do not see immediate results?” On these dates, Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we must remember all Christians who are persecuted in the world and pray for them.