VATICAN (CNS): Pope Francis has recognised the martyrdom of a bishop, seven Trappist monks and 11 other religious men and women killed by extremists in Algeria between 1993 and 1996, when the country was locked in a 10-year-long armed conflict between government forces and extremist Islamic rebel groups that left tens of thousands of people dead.
Vatican (SE): The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has announced there will be new rules governing the role of medical boards investigating miracle cures in the beatification and canonisation processes.
They strengthen requirements for acceptance of authenticity and set stricter standards for the documentation of payment to experts.
Japan pushes samurai as its first individual saint
OSAKA (AsiaNews): The Japanese Church has finished preparing the application for the beatification of Ukon Takayama, a feudal lord, or daimyo, who, after his conversion to Catholicism, played a pioneering role in the spread of Christianity in Japan in the 16th century.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan presented a 400-page application to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints containing the results of research into his case.
