Pope Leo XIV expresses his participation to the faithful gathered in Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, for the Mass of Thanksgiving following the canonisation of the 16 Carmelite Sisters of Compiègne.
By Linda Bordoni
Pope Leo XIV has expressed his deep spiritual closeness to the faithful gathered in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris for the Mass of Thanksgiving marking the canonisation of the sixteen Carmelite Sisters of Compiègne.
In a telegram signed on his behalf by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and addressed to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris, the Pope recalled the heroic witness of the martyrs who gave their lives during the French Revolution, offering them “so that peace might be restored to the Church and to the State.”
Faith, hope, charity
Noting that more than two centuries after their execution during the Reign of Terror, the memory of the Carmelite Sisters continues to inspire the Church and beyond, Pope Leo said their serenity and faith as they mounted the scaffold—singing hymns and psalms—was a visible sign of the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity that animated their consecrated lives.
The Holy Father recalled how even their jailers and the crowds at their execution were moved by their peace of heart, and how their witness has inspired countless artistic and literary works through the centuries.
The fruits of charity
“Total self-offering, forgiveness and gratitude, joy and peace,” the telegram reads, “are the fruits of charity that filled the souls of our martyrs.”
Quoting the words of the Prioress, who forgave her executioners before being the last to die, the Pope held up the Carmelite martyrs as an enduring testimony of forgiveness and interior strength, rooted in their consecration to God.
Concluding the message, Pope Leo imparted his Apostolic Blessing on all the faithful and pastors gathered in Notre-Dame, as well as on those united spiritually with the celebration from afar, assuring them of his joy in sharing in an event that brings joy to the whole Church.
