Martyrs of Damascus (10 July): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

On July 10, the Church commemorates the Martyrs of Damascus, Franciscan friars and Maronite laymen who gave their lives for Christ during the horrific massacres of 1860 in Syria. Following political upheaval within the Ottoman Empire, violent persecution swept through Lebanon and Damascus. Thousands of Christians were murdered, churches destroyed, monasteries burned, and entire Christian communities devastated. Amid the terror, a group of Franciscan missionaries and faithful Maronite Catholics refused every offer to save themselves by denying Jesus Christ. Blessed Manuel Ruiz, Guardian of the Franciscan convent, consumed the Blessed Sacrament before kneeling before the altar to await martyrdom. When commanded to proclaim that Muhammad was God's prophet, he answered: "I am a Christian, and I will die as a Christian." One after another, his companions followed him into eternal glory, remaining faithful to Christ until death. Alongside them were three Maronite laymen whose courage and steadfast faith earned them the crown of martyrdom. This moving account from Fr. Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints reminds us that the witness of the martyrs is never merely history—it is a call to steadfast faith in every generation. May the Martyrs of Damascus intercede for persecuted Christians throughout the world and strengthen all Catholics to remain faithful whatever the cost. 00:00 Introduction 00:24 Ottoman reforms and rising tensions 01:06 Violence spreads across Lebanon 01:45 Thousands of Christians massacred 02:07 Damascus erupts in persecution 02:22 Emir Abd el-Kader shelters Christians 02:37 Beatification of the martyrs 02:55 Refuge inside the Franciscan convent 03:20 Blessed Manuel Ruiz prepares for martyrdom 03:38 "I am a Christian, and I will die as a Christian." 03:59 The martyrdom of Blessed Engelbert Kolland 04:32 Blessed Carmelo Bolta refuses apostasy 04:53 Blessed Nicanor Ascanio 05:02 Blessed Pedro Soler 05:19 Blessed Nicholas Alberca 05:27 The Franciscan lay brothers 05:54 The Maronite lay martyrs 06:31 Their remarkable beatification 07:00 Conclusion https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/july/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 LBRY.tv --- https://lbry.tv/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 UGETube - https://videos.utahgunexchange.com/@Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 BrandNewTube - https://brandnewtube.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 GabTV - https://tv.gab.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 Brighteon - https://www.brighteon.com/channels/sensusfidelium ▶ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 Please "Like" our videos so that Youtube shares it to others by clicking the "Like" thumbs-up under the video = 👍🏻 ▶ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #MartyrsOfDamascus #Catholic #LivesOfTheSaints #ChristianMartyrs #ChurchHistory #CatholicSaints #Franciscans #Maronite #ChristianPersecution #SensusFidelium

Topics

• Suffering & Trials