VATICAN CITY – At his general weekly audience on Wednesday morning, Pope Francis spoke about the importance of the Church’s martyrs and ongoing Christian persecution throughout the world, praying especially for the people of Yemen. 

 Addressing the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff spoke of the martyrs of today. 

 “Let us pray, then, that we do not tire of bearing witness to the Gospel even in times of tribulation.” 

 “May all the saints and holy martyrs be seeds of peace and reconciliation between peoples for a more human and fraternal world,” the pope added. 

 The pope underlined to the faithful that martyrs “are more numerous in our time than in the first centuries.”

 “Today there are so many martyrs in the Church because, in order to confess the Christian faith, they are thrown out of society or go to prison. Some are even killed.”

 “Martyrs, however, should not be seen as heroes who acted individually like flowers sprouting in a desert, but as mature and excellent fruits of the Lord’s vineyard, which is the Church,” the pope added. 

 Speaking of the "great generosity" of many Christians who bear witness to their faith, the pontiff recalled in particular the nuns of Mother Teresa who were killed for their faith in Yemen.

 "I think, of Yemen, a land that for many years has been wounded by a terrible war, forgotten, that has caused so many deaths and that still makes so many people suffer, especially children. Precisely in this land there have been shining testimonies of faith, like that of the Missionary Sisters of Charity, who gave their lives there.”

 “Some of them have suffered martyrdom but others have remained there and offer assistance to the sick, elderly and those with disabilities. They welcome everyone, of whatever religion, because charity and fraternity have no boundaries.” 

 The pope continued his message by naming some of the Church’s recent martyrs who had been killed in Yemen. 

 The faithful were called upon to pray for Sister Aletta, Sister Zelia and Sister Michael who were killed in 1998 on their way home from Mass. 

 The pontiff also recalled the 2016 attack on the Missionaries of Charity in Aden, Yemen in which Sister Anselm, Sister Marguerite, Sister Reginette and Sister Judith were killed. 

 “They are the martyrs of our time,” the pope exclaimed. 

 The pope closed his address by saying “One must never kill in the name of God, because for Him we are all brothers and sisters.”

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