Vatican announces beatification of 11 martyred priests and 4 new venerables, honoring their faith and sacrifice under Nazi and Communist persecution.
Newsroom (24/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV has authorized the beatification of 11 priests martyred under Nazi and Communist regimes, alongside the recognition of four new venerables, as announced by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. The decrees, promulgated during an audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the dicastery, honor the sacrifices of nine Polish Salesians killed in Auschwitz and Dachau between 1941 and 1942, and two diocesan priests executed in Czechoslovakia between 1951 and 1952. Additionally, four servants of God—a Spanish Cistercian nun, a Spanish Dominican priest, a Sardinian diocesan priest, and a Ligurian Carmelite friar—have been declared venerable for their heroic virtues.
Martyrs of Nazi Persecution
The nine Salesian priests—Jan Świerc, Ignacy Antonowicz, Ignacy Dobiasz, Karol Golda, Franciszek Harazim, Ludwik Mroczek, Włodzimierz Szembek, Kazimierz Wojciechowski, and Franciszek Miśka—were arrested during the German occupation of Poland, which began on September 1, 1939. Targeted solely for their Catholic priesthood, they faced brutal persecution in the notorious concentration camps of Auschwitz and Dachau. Despite enduring torture, humiliation, and inhumane conditions, these priests remained steadfast, offering spiritual support to fellow prisoners and upholding their faith. Their ministry, seen as defiance by the Nazi regime, led to their torture and death, a testament to their unwavering commitment to their vocation.
Martyrs of Communist Oppression
In Czechoslovakia, diocesan priests Jan Bula and Václav Drbola of the Brno diocese were executed in Jihlava between 1951 and 1952 under the Communist regime’s anti-Catholic campaign. Bula, arrested on April 30, 1951, was falsely accused of instigating a July 1951 attack in Babice that killed Communist officials, despite being imprisoned at the time. Subjected to a sham trial, he was hanged on May 20, 1952. Drbola, arrested on June 17, 1951, through a police-orchestrated deception, faced similar false charges related to the Babice incident. He was executed on August 3, 1951. Both priests endured torture and forced confessions, yet their faith remained unshaken, as evidenced by Bula’s letters and the testimony of a priest who heard his final confession.
Four New Venerables
The Dicastery also recognized the heroic virtues of four servants of God, now declared venerable:
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Maria Evangelista Quintero Malfaz (1591–1648), a Spanish Cistercian nun, lived a life of profound prayer and mysticism. Orphaned young, she entered the Cistercian monastery of St. Anne in Valladolid, later becoming abbess of a new foundation in Casarrubios del Monte. Her mystical experiences, documented under spiritual direction, and her incorrupt remains, discovered five years after her death, underscore her sanctity.
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Angelo Angioni (1915–2008), a Sardinian diocesan priest, founded the Missionary Institute of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Ordained in 1938, he served as a missionary in Rio Preto, Brazil, establishing schools, churches, and social initiatives. Despite suffering two strokes in 2000 and 2004, his dedication to evangelization and poverty alleviation remained resolute until his death.
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José Merino Andrés (1905–1968), a Spanish Dominican priest, devoted his life to preaching and forming novices. Ordained in 1939, he served in Spain and Mexico, training over 700 young Dominicans in Palencia. His vibrant preaching and devotion to the Virgin Mary defined his ministry, even as his health declined.
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Gioacchino della Regina della Pace (1890–1985), born Leone Ramognino in Sassello, Italy, was a Carmelite friar and World War I veteran. After serving as a carpenter and war hero, he became the custodian of the Regina della Pace Sanctuary, living as a hermit while welcoming pilgrims. His deep prayer life and charity earned him the affectionate title “Ninu u santu” (Nino the saint).
These decrees mark a significant moment for the Catholic Church, honoring the courage of martyrs and the sanctity of those who lived their faith with extraordinary devotion.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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