‘Century of martyrdom’: Vatican commission has recorded death of over 1700 martyrs in the 21st century

A new Vatican commission meeting Tuesday in Rome has recorded the deaths of over 1700 martyrs in the 21st century, including Christians from other denominations, with between 100 and 150 new names added this year.

Established in 2023 by Pope Francis, the Commission for New Martyrs and Witnesses of the Faith is an offshoot from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

The Commission has arranged a two-day international congress this week called “The 21st Century, a New Age of Martyrs?”

The conference speakers include Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who is to talk about the peaceful role of Christians in the Holy Land.

Speaking at a press conference last week ahead of the congress Fabio Fabene, secretary of the dicastery and president of the commission, said the commission “continues to collect notifications and information about Christians who died because of the Gospel in all parts of the world.”

Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the dicastery, who was also at the press conference, said that not all the martyrs in the catalog of names that have been recorded will necessarily be canonized.

“The grace of holiness in the Church is manifested—though not limited to—in canonizations,” said Semeraro.