New Martyrs Commission

After having spent all last year gathering documents, the Commission has begun the elaboration phase on the information contained.

Fr. Marco Gnavi, secretary of the Commission, together with some assistants, has made in these months a preliminary study and analysis of the circa 3600 cards and nominations received after the first requests made to the episcopal conferences (June 1995) and to UISG and USG at the beginning of 1996.

A patient and exhaustive work of "validation" of the documents is dealt with according to the criteria already acquired in merit of the martyrdom, but also the cataloguing of the no less interesting and eloquent testimonials of faith, related to the exercise of the Christian virtues, even unto the gift of life. Martyrs in this strict sense, confessors, persecuted Christians, are in fact categories which in the twentieth century are often close to one another.

From the total number of documents, 904 nominatives have been specifically taken into examination. Of those, the biographical notes (about 3000 pages) have been thoroughly examined, synthesized, translated, divided and computerized. They represent 26% of the documents. Before the end of June, it is hoped that this first phase will be completed, analyzing the remaining material.

Relatively to the only partial data at hand (908), the research required a specification of the historical contexts, which produced -- or, on the backdrop of which was produced -- the testimonial of faith. The contexts however do not explain in themselves that which instead the purity of the testimony has been able to offer.

From a point of global data and of geographic origin the preponderance of documents originating in Europe appears evident at 76%, followed by Africa, 9%, Asia 9%, Latin America 5%, Oceania, 1%. The difference in the speeds of data collection according to the different nations is clear.

Moreover, the global data records 97% of testimonies regarding religious and only 3% regarding lay people.

It is not a question of a statistical "trend," but a problem regarding the "guardians of memory": it will be necessary to ask the dioceses to become more active so that the documentation on lay people will also be able to reach the commission.

Concerning other initiatives, it should be reported that the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity has begun to make contacts with various Orthodox churches, and will do so soon with the secretaries of the Christian world communions, in the prospect of laying forth the project of the commission; Fr. Jozsef Maj, representative of the Pontifical Council at the Commission, has referred to the already noticed fundamental positive will of the sister churches which have been contacted. It is hoped that this will lead to a possible common commemoration of the martyrs and more recent witnesses of the faith, also by means of insertion of names proposed by them into the catalogues at hand.

Under examination is an hypothesis regarding the preparation of an anthology of the pronouncements of Pope John Paul II on martyrdom; Msgr. Vicente Carcel Ortì has begun the first phase of research on this project.

Pia Vincenti Guzzi has conducted research on the secular and Catholic press regarding the specific themes of interest for the commission.

The commission has established the first contacts with the academic world in the hope that the common effort will be able to produce suggestions and inspirations for theses or dissertations on martyrdom in its potential theological, canonical, historical, spiritual and missionary dimensions.

Finally, the commission intends to equip itself with e-mail and an Internet site in order to be able to communicate and make inquiries rapidly.