A Polish couple and their seven children killed by the Nazis in 1944 for hiding eight Jews were beatified by the Catholic Church this Sunday. The ceremony took place in Markova, the family’s hometown, in front of thousands of people. As part of an unprecedented canonical process, the State of Israel already recognized Ulma as Righteous Among the Nations in 1955.
Josef and Victoria Ulma married in 1935. A farmer and beekeeper, Josef had a taste for photography. Victoria took care of the house and children. On March 24, 1944, German soldiers surrounded their house after a report that they were sheltering Jews. They first opened fire in the attic, killing eight people hiding there. The couple was then dragged outside where they were killed. They then executed children between the ages of two and eight. To serve as an example for the village, the house was set on fire. Victoria was seven months pregnant when she died. According to one version, the head of a child could be seen when the body was found in the mass grave, indicating that the woman had gone into labor during the execution. For the beatification of an unborn child, the Church granted “baptism of blood” so that the baby was considered worthy of martyrdom.
Ulma’s death decree was approved by the Pope on December 17 last year, paving the way for beatification. This Sunday, at the end of the Angelus, in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, Francisco asked the family to applaud.
Author: Paulo Fonte([email protected])
Source: CM Jornal
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