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Fortinbras Armstrong

(4,477 posts)
22. I agree with you, rug
Wed Aug 27, 2014, 07:18 AM
Aug 2014

To qualify as a martyr, one must be killed in odium fidei -- hatred of the faith. I am thinking, however, of one example where that was rather blatantly violated.

In 1941, Fr. Maximilian Kolbe, O.F.M. Conv. was a prisoner at Auschwitz. Three prisoners had escaped, and the camp commandant said that ten prisoners were to be chosen at random, shut up in a hut, and starved to death pour encourager les autres. One of the selected prisoners, Franciszek Gajowniczek, objected that he had a wife and children. Kolbe volunteered to take his place. The SS officer present said essentially, "It makes no difference to me which prisoner goes into the hut." After three weeks, the survivors were injected with carbolic acid.

Now, while Kolbe's death was an ultimate act of self-sacrifice, it was not a martyrdom. Yet John Paul II had him canonized as a martyr, and waffled about him being "a martyr of charity". In short, JPII wanted Kolbe canonized, and broke the rules to get it done.

Incidentally, Gajowniczek was present at the canonization ceremony.

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I wouldn't say so. He was taken, then killed, for his nationality not his religion. rug Aug 2014 #1
Yeah I am not sure either but only God really knows. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #2
I watched the video of Daniel Pearl. I couldn't watch this one. rug Aug 2014 #3
No I can't either. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #5
I can't, and won't either. nt No Vested Interest Aug 2014 #21
I'm not sure why anyone would want to watch these - I once started to watch goldent Aug 2014 #28
I was hunted by Daniel Pearl's execution. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #29
I couldn't believe what I was hearing so I checked it out. rug Aug 2014 #30
I agree with you, rug Fortinbras Armstrong Aug 2014 #22
That's an interesting point about Kolbe. rug Aug 2014 #23
Thanks for the info. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #24
An interesting question. okasha Aug 2014 #4
Now this is an interesting conceot that I have never heard of. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #6
I hadn't heard of it, either, okasha Aug 2014 #8
I knew a priest named Fr. John Walsted who wrote icons and I have one he wrote for me. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #9
That's lovely. okasha Aug 2014 #15
Mine is of Jesus but he has written several for my parish as well. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #18
Thanks, I hadn't heard of this. rug Aug 2014 #7
Thanks for posting the image, rug. okasha Aug 2014 #10
I recognized some letters but I was scratching my head. rug Aug 2014 #11
Old church Slovanic maybe? hrmjustin Aug 2014 #14
I trust okasha on this. Way outside my ken. rug Aug 2014 #16
Lol. Old Chur h slovonic I ghink is just spoken in churches now. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #20
Could it be old church slovanic? hrmjustin Aug 2014 #13
The Cyrillic alphabet is derived from it. okasha Aug 2014 #17
I have a friend that can speak and sing in old church slovonic. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #19
Very sad but comforting in a way. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #12
kick. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #25
No, but his message is very powerful. cbayer Aug 2014 #26
I can't watch it either. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #27
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