The Church will have 2 new blesseds: Luigi Palić and Gjon Gazulli

In the audience granted this June 20 to Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Pope Francis promulgated the decrees relating to the martyrdom of two Servants of God and approved the heroic virtues of two religious men and a lay woman.

For this reason, the Catholic Church will have 2 new blesseds, martyrs of the communist regime in Albania: Luigi Palić and Gjon Gazulli, both priests murdered out of hatred for the faith.

Last words of Fr. Luigi Palić before being murdered: “O Jesus, may it be for your love!”

The Servant of God Luigi Palić was a priest of the Order of the Minor Brothers, murdered out of hatred for the faith on March 7, 1913 in Peje (Albania).

This martyr and future blessed was born on February 20, 1877. During the first Balkan War (1912-1913), he served in the parish of Peje, in the Archdiocese of Skopje.

Father Palić refused to abandon his faith for Orthodox Christianity and urged both Catholics and Muslims to remain faithful to their beliefs, despite the violence carried out by soldiers of the Montenegrin Army, an ally of the Serbs.

He was arrested on March 4, 1913, severely tortured, mistreated and falsely accused of inciting the population not to hand over their weapons. The martyr remained faithful to Catholicism until the last moment and, before his life was taken from him, he shouted: “O Jesus, may it be for your love!”

The Servant of God Gjon Gazulli, a diocesan priest hanged for hatred of the faith on March 5, 1927 in Shkodër (Albania), will also be proclaimed blessed. The new martyr and future blessed was born on March 26, 1893 in Dajç de Zadrima (Albania).

The Pope approves the heroic virtues of 3 religious and a laywoman

The Holy Father accepted the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Isaia Columbro, minor friar of the Order of the Minor Brothers.

He was born on February 11, 1908 in Foglianise (Italy) and died in Vitulano (Italy) on July 13, 2004.

The Servant of God María Costanza Zauli, religious of the Slaves of the Sacred Heart and founder of the Adorers Slaves of the Blessed Sacrament and Charity, will also be Venerable.

He was born on April 17, 1886 in Faenza (Italy) and died in Bologna (Italy) on April 28, 1954.

In the decrees promulgated this June 20, the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Ascensión Sacramento Sánchez, a laywoman belonging to the Evangelical Crusade Secular Institute, are also found.

This new Venerable laywoman was born on June 15, 1911 in Sonseca (Spain) and died in Madrid (Spain) on August 18, 1946.

Finally, Pope Francis approved the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Vincenza Guilarte Alonso, a professed nun of the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus.

The nun was born on January 21, 1879 in Rojas de Bureba (Spain) and died in Leopoldina (Brazil) on July 6, 1960.

The approval of the heroic virtues supposes that the servants of God, who from now on can be called venerable, lived faith, hope and charity to a heroic degree. To proceed towards beatification, the approval of a miracle wrought through his intercession is now required.