Family Who Hid Jews during World War II to be Beatified by Vatican
Sep 8, 2023
by Vatican News Network
The Ulmah family, who sacrificed their lives to hide eight Jews during World War II, will be beatified by the Vatican on September 10, 2023. This unique event marks a departure from the traditional beatification procedure.
Josef Ulma, a farmer, and his pregnant wife, Wiktoria, who took care of their six children, opened their doors to shelter Jews during the Second World War. Tragically, their selfless act resulted in the annihilation of their entire family, including the unborn child. Now, the Ulmah family, along with the unborn child, will be beatified together.
The Ulmah family, devout followers of the Gospel, lived a simple and modest life. They instilled faith in their children, praying together and reading the Bible. Pope John Paul II referred to them as “small Churches,” as they provided sanctuary to those in need. Despite the immense danger and their humble two-room home, the Ulmahs offered shelter, food, and friendship to eight Jews during the war, when they were most vulnerable.
Visitors to the Ulma’s former residence will find their family Bible marked with the word “Samaritan” and the response “Yes.” This deliberate choice reflected their commitment to striving for harmony during an era characterized by violence, hatred, and division.
The fateful day of the Ulmah family’s demise was March 24, 1944. Nazi soldiers invaded their modest abode and shot at the hiding spot of their Jewish friends on the mezzanine. The blood of the victims dripped from the ceiling, staining a photo on the table. That photo depicted two Jewish women, one adorned with the Star of David on her arm. This photo now serves as a “sacred relic” honoring the Jewish people. Joseph and Wiktoria were forcibly removed from their home and executed in front of their children, who were then also killed. Subsequently, the house was set ablaze.
Fr. François–Marie Léthel, an advisor to the Congregation for Canonization of the Holy See, drew attention to the significance of this massacre, which entailed persecution of Jews and martyrdom of Christians. By emphasizing the innocence of the victims, including the Ulmah family and the eight Jews they sheltered, Léthel underscored the unjust nature of their fate.
Despite the horrors of war, the Ulmah family is hailed as righteous by the State of Israel and blessed by the Catholic Church. The entire family has been recognized as martyrs, including the seventh child present in the mother’s womb during the tragic incident.
Speaking in an interview, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Congregation for Canonization, shed light on the inclusion of the unborn child in the canonization request presented to the Pope. Cardinal Semeraro described the case as “very unique” and proceeded to draw parallels with Gospel stories, referring to it as a “baptism of blood.” He cited the recognition of the martyrdom of similarly young victims, such as the Saints’ Babies found in mass graves, where their heads and parts of their bodies were separated from their mothers’ wombs.
For more information about the beatification of the Ulmah family, please visit the official website of Vatican News at www.vaticannews.cn.
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