Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has expressed heartfelt gratitude for the canonization of the sixteen Carmelite Sisters of Compiegne, whose heroic witness during the French Revolution continues to inspire the universal Church. In a message conveyed through Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the Pope addressed the faithful gathered in Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral for the Mass of Thanksgiving, presided over by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich.
The Pope recalled how, in 1794, the cloistered Carmelites offered their lives during the Reign of Terror, walking serenely to the guillotine while singing hymns and psalms. Their sacrifice, he emphasized, was made with the intention that peace might be restored to both Church and State in a time of violent upheaval.
“These daughters of Carmel bore witness to faith not with swords, but with serenity,” the papal message affirmed. “Their serenity at the scaffold and their prayers of intercession revealed the power of faith, hope, and charity in the darkest hours of history.”
Pope Leo highlighted how the virtues that animated the Sisters faith in Christ, hope in eternal life, and charity toward all shone forth in their final moments. Even their jailers and those present at their execution were moved by the peace that radiated from the martyrs’ hearts.
Their story has since inspired not only generations of Christians but also writers, artists, and musicians who have kept alive the memory of their courage and devotion. “Their witness transcends centuries and borders,” the Pope remarked, “reminding us that holiness speaks in every age.”
The Holy Father drew special attention to the words of the Prioress, who forgave the executioners before being the last to die. Her act of mercy, he said, symbolized the essence of Christian charity: total self-offering, forgiveness, gratitude, and peace in the face of death.
“These fruits of charity are the seeds of renewal,” the papal telegram stated, holding up the Carmelite martyrs as models of courage and compassion for the faithful today.
Pope Leo assured the faithful gathered in Notre-Dame, as well as all who joined spiritually in the celebration, of his personal joy in this moment of grace for the Church. Imparting his Apostolic Blessing, he prayed that the canonization of the Carmelite Sisters would renew hearts with the courage to witness to Christ in a world still marked by conflict and division.
“The Church rejoices,” he concluded, “because in these martyrs we see not only the triumph of faith but also a living testimony that love is stronger than death.”