Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jhansi (Agenzia Fides) – An annual celebration, on the last Sunday of August, a "National Day for Indian Martyrs"...This is the proposal being made by the Commission for Ecumenism in the Bishops Conference of India, following a meeting with regional secretariats held in Jhansi. The proposal, they told Fides, is expected to establish a special day to remember all - priests, religious and laity - who "have sacrificed their lives for their faith in Christ" and who are the “modern martyrs” of India today. In particular, the date of the last Sunday in August was chosen to commemorate the Christians who died in the massacres that occurred in Orissa in late August 2009, events that still seek justice and are likely to remain unpunished.
The proposal found unanimous agreement among all Christian denominations present in India and would be celebrated - if it were to receive final approval – on an ecumenical level, thus receiving more strength and visibility.
The Commission noted that "Christians have a common martyrology, which includes all the martyrs of the 20th century and the present." In a note sent to Fides, Bishop Anil Cuto of Jalandhar, President of the Commission for Ecumenism, emphasizes: "Martyrdom is the highest form of love. I consider making an effort to remember those who died in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a memory that we want to confirm and continue, for the benefit of future generations."
Moreover, said the Bishop, "celebrating it at the ecumenical level means strengthening the unity among Christian churches in India. Establishing it as a celebration would be a historic decision that we hope will come true soon." The proposal drawn up by the Commission will now be examined by the respective Bishops' Conferences, which will decide on the feasibility of the project. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 13/11/2009)
