Pope Video: For the martyrs of our day

In the Pope Video for March 2024 we are called to pray for the martyrs of our day, witnesses to Christ.

Pope Francis: “The martyrs are a sign that we’re on the right path”.

In the new release of The Pope Video, Pope Francis requests prayers for the new martyrs of our day so that they might “imbue the Church with their courage and missionary drive.” A martyr is a Christian who bears witness to the Gospel until death without resorting to violence. “The courage of the martyrs, the witness of the martyrs, is a blessing for everyone,” the Holy Father reflects in the message he addresses to us through the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. The video is produced in collaboration with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) and is being released for the month in which the Day of Missionary Martyrs is celebrated. 

Father Frédéric Fornos S.J. nternational Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, recalls what Saint Francis of Assisi said one day to his brothers “Always proclaim the Gospel. If necessary, use words.” And he adds: “We are called to bear witness to Christ with our entire life. A martyr is a witness to Christ, whose very existence is a living witness, that is, the person incarnates the Gospel putting their own life at risk without resorting to violence. The Pope’s prayer intention challenges us: How can we bear witness to Christ right where we are? Not everyone is called to risk their lives to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. But each of us can ask ourselves, “When I face situations at work, among my activities, my social network, or in my family, that are contrary to Christian ethics or the Gospel, do I take a stand to follow in Christ’s steps regardless of the difficulties or challenges that might arise? Or do I evade it? Therefore, let us pray with the Pope, that all those in various parts of the world who risk their lives for the Gospel might imbue the Church with their courage and missionary drive.”