“The Glorious Palms of Martyrs”: On the Damascus Martyrs of 1860

On May 23, Pope Francis approved a request by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to canonize eight Franciscan friars and three Maronite laymen martyred during the massacre of Christians in Damascus in July 1860. On July 1, during an ordinary public consistory of the College of Cardinals, Pope Francis announced that the eleven martyrs would be canonized on October 20, along with Blesseds Giuseppe Allamano, Marie-Léonie Paradis, and Elena Guerra.

In approving the canonization of the Damascus martyrs, who were beatified in 1926, Pope Francis acceded to petitions from the Order of Friars Minor and the Holy Synod of Maronite Bishops.

“The martyrs of Damascus are a fine image of the Church that has been able to experience the missionary testimony up to the gift of life,” Father Francesco Patton, OFM, the Custos, or superior, of the Franciscan province of the Holy Land, said following the papal approval of the canonization. “May these martyrs be an example for all of us, friars of the Custody, never to spare ourselves in our mission.”

“It gives us hope, it shows us where to put our feet on the path towards saintliness, which is the destination of every person who devotes their life to loving God and their neighbor,” added Father Firas Lufti, OFM, the guardian of the Franciscan monastery in Damascus where the martyrdom took place, and where the martyrs’ relics are venerated.

Pope Pius XI beatified the eleven martyrs on October 10, 1926, with his apostolic letter Contingit ex auspicato. The letter, published in Acta Apostolicae Sedis (Acts of the Apostolic See, pp. 411-415), was reprinted in the Acta Ordinis Fratrum Minorum (Acts of the Order of Friars Minor) and in The Irish Ecclesiastical Record, but has never to my knowledge been translated into English.

In view of the martyrs’ upcoming canonization, I have translated Contingit ex auspicato into English, retaining the pontiff’s use of the historical present tense as he vividly described some of the martyrdoms.

In Contingit ex auspicato, Pope Pius XI referred to the beatification process de non cultu (here defined) and to the greater double rite (here described), as well as to the dispensation of the requirement for miracles prior to beatification, in accord with Canon 2116 of the 1917 Code of Canon Law. There was a typographical error in the letter: the vigil of Pentecost was described as taking place on June 22, 1926, though it fell on May 22 that year.

Pope Pius referred to the martyrs’ slayers as Turks. The Custody of the Holy Land describes the assailants as Druze Shiites, who at the time were subjects of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.

For those with a desire for a deeper knowledge of the historical context, the destruction of Damascus’s Christian quarter, during which the martyrdom of the eleven took place, is the subject of books by the Lebanese historian Leila Tarazi Fawaz and by Eugene Rogan, professor of modern Middle Eastern history at the University of Oxford. Fawaz wrote An Occasion for War in 1994 and focused on the massacre in Chapter 4; Rogan published The Damascus Events earlier this year. Rogan has discussed the destruction of the Christian quarter in several recent podcasts.

THE VENERABLE SERVANTS OF GOD

THE PRIEST MANUEL RUIZ AND SEVEN COMPANIONS, O.F.M

AND ALSO THREE BROTHERS

FRANCIS, MOOTI, AND RAPHAEL MASSABKI

MARTYRS AT DAMASCUS

ARE DECLARED BLESSEDS

Pope Pius XI

For the perpetual memory thereof. — Out of this auspicious year, indeed in these days in which, in the whole world, festivals are held in honor of the seventh centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, it happens that eight illustrious sons of the same Saint, who poured forth their blood in this our age for asserting the faith of Christ, are advanced, by solemn rite, to the honors of Blessed Martyrs.

In the year 1860, in the monastery in Damascus joined by spiritual bond to the Custody of the Holy Land, the unconquered heroes, killed in hatred of the Faith by barbaric crowds of Turks, themselves accomplished a martyrdom glorious in the sight of the Lord.

The first of them, Manuel Ruiz, a Spaniard by birth, had received the religious habit of Francis in the year 1825. The priest, perceiving himself called to preach Christ’s word to unbelievers, had come to the Missions of the Holy Land, and after exhausting years, through further apostolic labors with the richest fruit, governed the monastery at Damascus with singular prudence, and with a reputation of holiness.

The second, Carmelo Volta, himself also a Spaniard, entered the Order of Friars Minor in the province of Valencia in the same year 1825, and sent to Palestine, had been selected, as most knowledgeable in the Arabic language, as teacher of Missionaries in Damascus.

The third, Engelbert Kolland from the Tyrolean province, was a man of remarkable holiness and innocence of conduct, as well as of keen intelligence. Having made his solemn vows, he had come to Damascus, to the sacred Missions, and was a tireless helper of the previously mentioned Manuel in the pastoral office.

The fourth, Nicanor Ascanio, addressed by Arabs as Joseph, was from the Castilian province. After twenty years of active priestly ministry in Spain as a most eloquent herald of the divine Word, he had come to Palestine, so that also in that place he might sow the crop rich above all others in the Lord’s field.

The fifth and sixth were Nicolás Alberca from Andalusia and Pedro Soler from the Murcian province, men of remarkable virtue; the first was born in the year 1830, the second in the year 1827. Having been professed in the Order of Minors in the flower of youth, and having reached the Missions of Palestine, they devoted themselves in Damascus to the study of the Arabic language.

Two lay brothers, Francisco Pinazo d’Arpuentes and Juan Jacob Fernández, both Spaniards, served these illustrious priests. Resplendent with the spirit of piety, not less than that of humility, assigned to service in the monastery at Damascus, they fulfilled the tasks of their office most diligently, and with singular obedience.

That most hideous persecution against Christians, set in motion by the hostile enemies of the Faith of Christ on the tenth day of the month of July in the year 1860, stole away all these men, intent on their accustomed pious works. The persecution flared suddenly and brought destruction, fire, pillage, and slaughter.

And indeed, the infuriated throngs of Turks storm into the monastery and first rage against Manuel Ruiz. Warned about the imminent massacre, and with his companions strengthened for perseverance by sacramental absolution, he had come into the church to consume the sacred species, “lest he give up the heavenly members to rabid dogs.” Urged in vain to defect from the Faith, he himself is slaughtered by the sword, as he was praying on bended knees before the high altar.

Carmelo Volta, himself also invited again and again to embrace the Mohammedan religion, is killed by being beaten with a club.

Pedro Soler, as he professed that he was a Christian, is transfixed by a sword.

Nicolás Alberca, after he had declared openly that he would rather die a thousand times than defect from the Faith, is killed by a shot from a fiery crossbow.

Engelbert Kolland, who had fled from the religious house and had been able to escape from the first moment of slaughter, was caught by pursuers. Tempted to apostasy without success, he was struck with a hatchet and lay dead.

At length, Nicanor Ascanio was detected and slain on the upper floor of the monastery, and he himself gained an equal share of martyrdom with his companions.

The two lay brothers, Francisco Pinazo and Juan Jacob Fernández, who had fled into the bell tower, were sought by accomplices with cudgels and a sword. They prayed with hands raised to heaven until they were thrown headfirst from the top of the tower and acquired the glorious palms of Martyrs.

But not only did it fall to the eight sons of St. Francis to encounter death for Christ on that day; indeed, the fury of the Turks also burned against the brothers Francis, Mooti, and Raphael Massabki, Maronite Catholic men.

The first of them, Francis, seventy years old, abounded in a conspicuous patrimony of riches, not less than of Christian virtues, and for that reason prospered with the best reputation in the presence of the citizens of Damascus.

The second, Mooti, like his brother Francis a most virtuous father of a family, left behind his business, which he had conducted as honorably as possible. Dedicated to works of piety, he was handing on the Arabic language in the school of the Franciscan monastery.

Finally, the third, Raphael, celibate, surrendering himself wholly to prayer and living an ascetic life, frequented the church of the Franciscan friars every day.

Lest they abandon the Franciscan fathers in their peril, the same three men, at the first sound of the tumult, run to the monastery, and there, refreshed by the Eucharistic banquet, prayed before the altar together with the Religious. Heedless of their children and familial affairs, they courageously awaited death.

Seized by the Mohammedans storming into the church, they professed that they were Christians and moreover would die for the Faith of Christ. And immediately, before the steps of the high altar of the church itself, they were killed with iron clubs.

After this horrendous slaughter, the Servants of God began to be considered to be Martyrs of Christ, slain as victims by the ferocity of Mohammedans in hatred of the Faith. For this reason, the cause was first begun of decreeing the honors of Blessed Martyrs for the eight sons of the family of Friars Minor. Our Predecessor Pope Leo XIII, on December 17, 1885, affixed a seal with his own hand to the Commission of the introduction of the Cause.

Afterwards, when, under the Congregation of Sacred Rites, the question was proposed about martyrdom, and the cause of martyrdom, and likewise about signs and miracles, and it was indeed certain that the massacre of the same eight Servants of God from the Franciscan family occurred above all in hatred of the Christian name, and the Faith alone was its cause, We declared, in a solemn decree, on May 2, 1926, that the cause of martyrdom of Manuel Ruiz and his seven companions is certain. From the precept concerning signs or miracles, a dispensation was granted.

When, therefore, there was certainty about martyrdom and the cause of martyrdom, it remained for the Cardinals and Consultors of the Sacred Rites to be asked whether they recommended that the solemn Beatification of the same eight Servants of God could safely proceed. Our venerable brother Gennaro Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte, Bishop of Albano, Relator of the Cause, provided this in the general assembly of Sacred Rites, held in Our presence in the Vatican on June 18 of the current year, and all who were present — both the Cardinals and the Father Consultors –responded in the affirmative.

We, in truth, on the vigil day of Pentecost, namely, June 22 of this year, with the Sacred Eucharistic rite offered, and with Our Venerable Brothers summoned and present — Antonio Vico, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Bishop of Porto and Santa Rufina, Prefect of the Congregation of Sacred Rites; Gennaro Granito di Belmonte, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Bishop of Albano, Relator of the Cause; together with Our beloved sons Angelo Mariani, secretary of the same Congregation of Sacred Rites, and Carlo Salotti, general Promoter of the Holy Faith — We solemnly declared that it is safe to proceed to the Beatification of the eight sons of the seraphic family.

Then, when the decision about these men was made known, Our venerable brother Béchara Chémali, Maronite Archbishop of Damascus, expressed, too, the desires of the Eastern Patriarchs and Bishops: he entreated Us with pious requests that the honors of the heavenly Blesseds also be decreed for the three Massabki brothers, slain in hatred of the Faith, in one and the same slaughter as the previously mentioned Franciscan Religious.

We, moreover, willing to grant these requests, ordered that a judicial process be instituted in Damascus concerning the martyrdom of the same three Servants of God. When there was certainty about the martyrdom and cause of martyrdom, after a customary decree of the Congregation of Sacred Rites for these men was given on the fifth day of this month, and also a dispensation from signs according to law, at length on the seventh day of October, We decreed that to these three Servants of God also, the honors of the heavenly Blesseds could safely be granted.

Because these things are so, We, moved by the desires of the whole family of the Order of Friars Minor, and at the same time of the Archbishop of Damascus and the Eastern Bishops, and of the clergy and faithful of the Maronites, by Our apostolic authority, with the force of this letter, grant the faculty that the Venerable Servants of God Manuel Ruiz, Carmelo Volta, Engelbert Kolland, Nicanor Ascanio, Nicolás Alberca, and Pedro Soler, priests; Francisco Pinazo d’Arpuentes and Juan Jacob Fernández, lay Brothers, from the Order of Minors; and likewise the three Maronites, the brothers Francis, Mooti, and Raphael Massabki, be given the name of Blesseds, and that their bodies and relics, if extant, be proposed for the public veneration of the faithful, though not in a solemn fashion, and that their images be decorated with rays.

Moreover, by the same authority of Ours, we grant that their Office be recited and Mass be celebrated from the common of Martyrs, according to the Rubrics of the Roman Missal and Breviary. In such a manner, we specifically grant that the recitation of the Office and celebration of the Mass occur to this extent: in the dioceses in which the same Servants of God were respectively born, and likewise within the boundaries of the Maronite Archdiocese of Damascus and also in all the churches and chapels, wherever located in the world, with monasteries attached, which pertain to the family of Friars Minor; by all the faithful, whether seculars or religious, who are bound to recite the canonical Hours; and in what pertains to Masses, by assembled priests at the churches in which the feast of the Blessed Martyrs themselves is celebrated.

Finally, we grant that the solemnities of the Beatification of the same Servants of God be accomplished with an Office and Mass of greater double rite: and we grant that it be done in the aforesaid dioceses, and in churches or oratories, which we have named, on a day designated by the Ordinary, within a year after the same solemnities have been celebrated in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica.

All things to the contrary notwithstanding, including Apostolic Constitutions and ordinances, and also published decrees de non cultu. We wish, moreover, that copies of this Letter also be printed, provided that they be secured with the handwritten signature of the Secretary of the Congregation of Sacred Rites and the seal of the Prefect. We wish that in juridical discussions also, the same straightforward fidelity be extended, which has been held by the signification of Our will in this letter here shown.

Given at Rome, at St. Peter’s, under the ring of the Fisherman, on October 10, 1926, in the fifth year of Our Pontificate.

From P. Cardinal Gasparri, Secretary of State