The history of the Maronite Church is very rich with stirring accounts of holiness. It tells of saints, ascetics, hermits, monks and nuns who answered the call of the Lord to follow Him and bear witness to Him, and never looking back.
Maronite history is also distinguished by the righteous martyrs who received the crown of martyrdom for their love of Christ, and their voices still echo: “The faith of Peter is my faith, and my faith is the faith of Peter.” We are reminded of the words of St Peter himself:
… even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:14-17)
As St Peter teaches, true sanctity resides in Christ, and the true saint is sanctified through faith in Christ. This holiness is the sign that our Church continues upon that journey to God which began with our father, Saint Maroun, which we celebrate today, and will continue to live in the future.
We are given fresh heart by the fact that, after he had beatified Blessed Patriarch Mar Estephan Douaihy on August 2, 2024, Pope Francis canonised on Sunday, October 20, 2024, as saints of the universal church, the three blessed Massabki brothers: Francis, Abdel Moati and Raphael, who received the crown of martyrdom in the bloody persecution of 1860, in the Franciscan Monastery Church in Damascus, along with eight other monks of the monastery.
The canonisation falls during the Synod of Catholic Bishops in Rome, under the title “For a Synodal Church,” held between October 2 and 27, 2024 in the Vatican.
In the midst of the difficult and painful crisis in Lebanon, the Holy Land, Syria and the Middle East more generally, a bright heavenly light shines upon us today, borne by the Massabki Brothers, following the example of our other Maronite saints. The saints are a role model for us all, showing how to follow Christ. In their spirituality, many dimensions of the Christian evangelical message are revealed, that we may be the light in the midst of darkness, life in the midst of death, hope in the midst of despair, and “the salt of the earth and the light of the world.” The Lord Jesus Christ said, “Do not be afraid, for I have overcome the world.” Today he tells us: “Even with all the wars, tragedies and darkness, I send you saints. Do not be afraid, for light overcomes darkness. Do not be afraid,” he says, “for love defeats evil. Do not be afraid, for you are worth more than many sparrows. Do not be afraid because I am with you until the end of time.”
Given the importance of the canonisation of the Massabki Brothers, saints for all the Holy Apostolic Catholic Church, and the first Maronite laymen to be raised to our altars as martyrs and saints, we are delighted to shine a light on their lives and glorious deaths. It is our privilege to make available to you the tenth general letter of His Beatitude and Eminence Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Rai, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. His Beatitude addressed this letter to the Maronite Church to tell them of the Blessed Massabki Brothers. in Arabic and English.
Indeed, God is glorified in His saints.
