Pope Pope Leo XIV has approved six new decrees from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, paving the way for the beatification of Lebanese Patriarch Elias Hoyek and 80 martyrs killed during the Spanish Civil War.
The decrees also recognised four new venerables, including an Italian missionary who served in India and a young Carmelite from Cameroon remembered for his deep faith during illness.
Lebanese patriarch and Spanish martyrs honoured
Patriarch Elias Hoyek, widely regarded as one of the founding figures of modern Lebanon, was recognised after the Vatican approved a miracle linked to his intercession.
Hoyek served as Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and played a key role in Lebanon’s formation while also helping the poor and displaced during World War I.
The Vatican also approved the beatification of 80 martyrs who were killed during anti-Catholic persecution linked to the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s.
The group included priests, seminarians, religious members and lay faithful who reportedly remained committed to their faith despite imprisonment and execution.
Missionary in India declared venerable
Among those declared venerable was Salesian missionary Costantino Vendrame, who spent much of his life serving poor communities in India, especially in Assam and Tamil Nadu.
Known for his simplicity and dedication, he reportedly travelled long distances on foot and continued encouraging fellow prisoners even during imprisonment in World War II.
The Vatican also recognised young Carmelite Br. Jean-Thierry of the Child Jesus and the Passion, Spanish nun Mother María Ana Alberdi Echezarreta, and Capuchin lay brother Fra Nazareno da Pula.
Recognition of faith and service
The announcements highlight lives dedicated to charity, prayer, missionary work and perseverance through suffering.
The Catholic Church’s canonisation process involves multiple stages, including recognition of heroic virtues, miracles and eventual sainthood approval