BL. BALDJI OGHLOU OHANNES, MARTYR - 22 NOVEMBER

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN NOVEMBER

Saints celebrated on the 22nd of November

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

BL. BALDJI OGHLOU OHANNES AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS

When the extermination of the Armenian people began, Armenian Catholics were massacred in large numbers.

On November 22, 1895, Bl. Salvatore Lilli was captured along with seven of his Armenian parishioners, simple peasants, and good Christians. 

GOOD CHRISTIANS

They were taken to Marasc. According to an eyewitness, they were given several opportunities to betray the Church and embrace Islam, but they all steadfastly refused to renounce their faith and praise Muhammad. 

After their refusal, they were brutally murdered with bayonets. The bodies were then burned by the soldiers.

The martyrs were beatified on October 3, 1982 by Pope John Paul II in St Peter's Basilica in Rome. Their memorial day is the day of their martyrdom - November 22.

Salvatore Lilli's seven Armenian companions were:

Blessed Baldji Oghlou Ohannes

Blessed Khodianin Oghlou Kadir 

Blessed Kouradji Oghlou Tzeroum 

Blessed Dimbalac Oghlou Wartavar

Blessed Jeremiah Oghlou Boghos 

Blessed David Oghlou David, and

Blessed Toros Oghlou David.

Please pray for us.