Thousands in San Salvador for Father Cosma blessed, the Pope: “Apostle of non-violence”

A large delegation from Mansuè and the diocese of Vittorio Veneto, led by the bishop. And at the Angelus the pontiff recalls: “By the side of the poor, bearing witness to truth and justice”

MANSUÈ. Father Cosma Spessotto, the apostle of non-violence, is blessed. The first martyr of the diocese of Vittorio Veneto was born in Mansuè in 1923. “Yesterday in San Salvador the Jesuit priest Rutilio Grande Garcia and two lay companions and the Franciscan priest Cosma Spessotto were beatified, martyrs of the faithPope Francis recalled at the end of yesterday’s Angelus. “They stood by the side of the poor, bearing witness to the Gospel, truth and justice up to the shedding of blood,” he stressed. “May their heroic example arouse in all the desire to be courageous agents of fraternity and peace”, added the Pontiff. «An applause to the new blessed». And all of St. Peter’s Square responded with clapping, while a Mansuè the first thanksgiving mass was celebrated, with the vicar general monsignor Martino Zagonel, also present some nephews of father Cosma.

The solemn beatification took place on Saturday evening, in the square of the cathedral of San Salvador, in the presence of 60 cardinals and bishops and tens of thousands of faithful. Among others, the bishop concelebrated Corrado Pizziolo, the parish priest of Mansuè, Ugo Cettolin, the rector of the sanctuary of Motta, Father Favretto. In the front row the nephews of Fra ‘Cosma. Three and a half hours of celebration presided over by the Pope’s envoy, Cardinal Gregoria Rosa Chavez.

Father Cosma was killed while praying at the altar of the parish he had led since 1953. In his will, prepared a few days before the brutal murder, Fra Cosma not only considered his end, but also assured the forgiveness of those who had killed him.