Martyrs of Damascus: 3 Maronite brothers will be saints in October

This July 10, the brave martyrs of Damascus are commemorated, a group of 8 Franciscans and 3 Maronite brothers who were martyred by Muslims. The radicals made a proposal to the laity, but the response they gave continues to have strong repercussions to this day.

Francisco, Abdelmuti and Rafael Massabki were blood brothers and will be canonized, along with the Franciscans, the next October 20decreed by Pope Francis at the beginning of this month.

His testimony dates back to 1860, when Christians in Damascus (Syria) were harassed by the Druze, an ethnoreligious group that separated from Islam.

A Muslim commando entered the Franciscan convent of Bab-Touma and he massacred the 8 Franciscans. But when they found the 3 laymen they asked them a question.

The book collection Christian Year, from the Library of Christian Authors (BAC), points out that Francisco Massabki was a family man, a wealthy merchant and frequented the Franciscans. The radicals told him that the religious leader Abdallah Halabi sent him word that he and his family would be saved if they converted to Islam, the faith of Muslims.

Francisco asked to be told that he could keep the money he owed him and even kill him, but that no one could take his religion out of his heart.

Likewise, he reminded them that Christ taught not to be afraid of those who could kill the body, but not the soul. In this way, the Muslims vented their anger against him and murdered him.

Abdelmuti (Mooti), whose name means “servant of the generous” was also a family man. He worked as a teacher at the Franciscan school and encouraged his students to be firm in the Christian faith, in the midst of persecution. When the attackers found him, he refused to become a Muslim and preferred to die.

Finally there is Rafael, who was single and supported the Franciscans in the sacristy. His devotion was to pray before the tabernacle. When the Muslims told him that to stay alive he had to renounce Christianity and convert to Islam, he knelt down with brave courage and began to pray. In that position he was beheaded.

Who are the Maronites?

These three brothers belonged to the Maronites, an Eastern Catholic rite faithful to the Pope. Its name comes from the monk Saint Maron, who lived in Syria in the 4th century. They are known as the Maronite Catholic Church.

According to the website maronitas.org, Maronite spirituality is a lifestyle. It has its own liturgy with rites and missal, its songs, its breviary (a set of prayers and psalms that are prayed every day as a supplication of the universal Church to God) and even its own culinary tradition.

One of its most famous Maronite saints is Saint Charbel, revered by Christians and Muslims because he is considered to obtains miracles from God for those of different religionsincluding Druze, Jews and atheists.