ANGELUS: I REMEMBER PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 26, 2003 (VIS) - Today at noon on the feeast of St. Stephen the Martyr, the Pope appeared at the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered below.

After recalling that St. Stephen 'was charged with false accusations similar to those directed at Jesus and, like the Master, died while forgiving his killers,' the Holy Father said that 'the Church calls the feast day of a martyr 'dies natalis.' The death of a martyr,' he affirmed, 'is a birth in heaven in virtue of the death and resurrection of Christ. For this reason, it is very significant that we celebrate the first martyr the day after Christmas: Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem, gave His life for us so that we, reborn through faith and baptism, would be willing to sacrifice our life for love of our brothers and sisters.'

John Paul II remembered especially 'Christian communities that suffer persecution, and all the faithful who suffer for the faith. May the Lord give them the strength of perseverance and the capability to love those who cause them suffering.'

'May Mary, Queen of the martyrs,' he concluded, 'help us to be 'martyrs', that is, witnesses in every moment of the love of Christ whom we contemplate as a child in the manger in these days.'

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