{UAH} Rome beatifies South Africa's first Catholic martyr

In a historic moment South Africa saw Rome beatify the first native African martyr, Benedict Samuel Tshimangatzo,

a pious school teacher / headmaster and father of 8 children who was killed for his faith in February 1990 at just 44. His 91-year-old

mum was among the 30,000 people present at the ceremony which took place in the martyrs home village in the Limpopo Province.

It's pope francis who authorized the beatification after he had proved the authenticity of Benedict's holy martydom whose report compiled

by the south African Episcopal Conference had a detailed 1000-page account of the events and circumsatances surrounding Benedict's

martyrdom. The Pope sent Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints to represent him. the Cardinal was given

what has been referred to as a rock-star welcome that moved the whole place and all surrounding villages and regions. Hundreds of people had spent

the night on the spot and dozens d dozens of buses brought in thousands of pilgrims from all over South Africa. The Vice President represented the

government. And in Rome itself Pope Francis informed the cheering 150,000 pilgrims assembled for the Sunday mid-day Angelus prayer othe importance of this beatification and asked the vast crowds to follow Benedict Samuel Tsimangatzo's very courageous example.

Yes, indeed a very courageous example! Blessed Benedict Samuel Tsimangatzo, a holy teacher whjo was equally helpful to old persons and the sick, met a very violent death when he died at the hands of almost the entire village locality. On that day there had been several flashes of lightning in the sky

and the people became so afraid and got engrossed in the thinking of a very dangerous happening to destroy and sweep away their village! Therefore their elders gathered in a village assembly and unanimously voted to engage a highly reputed witch-doctor to come and dissipate all evils and their bad spirits from the locality and at the same time try to put a stop to the unwanted lightning. The witch-doctor came and performed his duties and assured the locals that the situation would soon spring back to the usual state levels especially if the village  thought of paying him his service dues. The elders then requested every villager to pay the equivalent of 5 pence. When they came to Blessed Benedict Samuel Tsimangatzo he categorically stated that what everybody had seen in the skies was a normal meteorological phenomenon that didn't need to excite anyone and he added that as a Catholic he had no right to pay money to witches, and that he didn't believe in witchcraft! This angered the witch-doctor and the entire village which decided to finish off Benedict !  They attacked him beat him up, stoned him, speared him, and finally they poured boiling wated in his eyes, ears, and mouth. He died and was burried as a true martyr in a ceremony presided by a local French missionary priest. And from then on a canonical inquiry nto his death was instituted by the bishop and, following its full approval by the South African Episcopal Conference, it was handed to Pope Francis by South Africa's Cardinal Archbishop Napier of Durban. Pope Francis, in readiness for his historic trip to Africa in November decided to have Benedict beatified as a mùodel of heroism in a place where witchcraft dominates much of people's minds.

Many South Africans have appreciated the Pope for his very wise stand and decision on Blessed Benedict. And they will definitely make every endeavour to see him canonized a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. To reach this final step just one miracle will be required from Blessed Benedict. Now that he is a Blessed, sainthood will one day be attained and Blessed Benedict Samuel Tsimangatzo will become South Africa's first Catholic saint.

In another development, the Pope's appeal to the Church in Europe to help welcome the influx of refugees from the Middle East and elsewhere is being followed with enthusiasm. In France thousands of refugees have already been welcomed and sheltered in convents, monastries, and in individuals' homes. The refugees generally express happiness to the French community for this fraternity.

Pope Francis, a very visionary pragmatic Pope is winning people's minds on charity in sharing. This is what is making his Papacy  outstandingly very exmplary. His message has a spiritual charisma which is continuously winning the masses to his side. His regular Wednesday public audiences have so far since the beginning of this September 2015 attracted hundreds of thousands of people in St Peter's Square. And very important groups from Africa have already attended the sessions. Pilgrims have come in from South Africa, Senegal, Nigeria, Gabon, and Zimbabwe. Another phenomenon has been seen in the growing presence of pilgrims from Communist China and the Pacific Ring countries!

Dr G.H. Kkolokolo ( Paris / France )