SAINT FEAST DAY FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JULY Saints celebrated on the 10th of July WELCOME! SAINT MANUEL RUIZ AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS OF DAMASCUS The persecution of Christians in the city of Damascus, which resulted in thousands of Christian victims, was taken to new heights on July 9, 1860, when, during the night, in the cover of dark, a command of rebels - animated by a deep-rooted religious hatred - managed to penetrate through a hidden door indicated by a traitor, into the Franciscan friary of St Paul. Eight Friars Minor (seven of Spaniards and one from Tyrol/Austria) and three Maronite lay Christians, who were also blood-brothers, were barbarously slaughtered. It was clearly a martyr's death: before brutally inflicting the fatal blows, the attackers asked them to renounce the Christian faith and embrace Islam, which these Saints steadfastly  refused.  The group of Martyrs was composed of Friar Manuel Ruiz López, priest, superior, born in 1804 in Burgos, who was 56 years old at th...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JULY Saints celebrated on the 10th of July WELCOME! SAINT EMMANUEL RUIZ AND COMPANIONS - MARTYRS OF DAMASCUS Emmanuel (Manuel), his brother Franciscans and the three  Maronite  laymen were beatified in 1926 by Pope Pius XI. HATRED OF CHRISTIANS Born of humble parents in Santander, Spain, he became a Franciscan priest and served as a missionary in Damascus. This was at a time when anti-Christian riots shook Syria and thousands lost their lives in just a short time. THEY REMAINED STEADFAST UNTO DEATH Among these were Emmanuel, superior of the Franciscan convent, and ten companions: seven other friars and three laymen. When a menacing crowd came looking for the men, they refused to renounce their faith and become Muslims. Because they remained true to the Faith, they were hacked to pieces on July 10, 1860. Pope Francis, at their canonisation on October 20, 2024, invited Christians to pray through their intercession, "so that we too can follow Chris...