Pope Francis marked the feast day of the first martyr, St. Stephen, by visiting a prison and highlighting that Christians are srtill being persecuted for their faith, the Catholic Herald website reports today (Dec. 27, 2024).
"Unfortunately, today there are srtill, in various parts of the world, many men and women who are persecuted , at times up to death, because of the Gospel, the pontiff said during the Angelus address in St. Peter's Square on Dec. 26. The pope gave his Angelus address after returning from the Rebibbia New Complex Prison in Rome, where he opened a Holy Door for the Jubilee Year.
In the Acts of the Apostles, St. Stephen -- a deacon -- was stoned to death after being accused of blasphemy by Jewish leaders shortly after Jesus' ascension into heaven.
In his Angelus address, Francis said the story of St. Stephen applies to present--day martyrs, too.
"They do not allow themselves to be killed out of weakness, nor to defend an ideology, but to make everyone participants in the gift of salvation they have received from the Lord Jesus Christ," the pope said.
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