Sunday September
10, the ULMA family will be beatified in
This family, made up of Josef and Wiktoria Ulma and their children, included the child Wiktoria was carrying and who was born pre-mature at the massacre. Having no time for a baptism, the child obtained "blood baptism” of a martyr. This unusual beatification stands as a testament to their sacrifice during World War II, when they sheltered and protected eight Jews from persecution.
Both parents were well-educated, had many books and knew foreign languages. Wiktoria understood German, so she understood everything the Nazis said to each other before the execution.
The children
were Stanisława, aged 7, Barbara, 6, Władysław, 5, Franciszek, 4, Antoni, 2,
and Maria, 1.One wonders what it takes for men to kill small children! The men remain nameless, while we have the children's names- forever in our list of saints.
It’s rare
for the participants in a beatification ceremony to include a rabbi. But the
beatification of “the Good Samaritans of Markowa” will be attended by Michael Schudrich, the
chief rabbi of
Pope Francis said: May the example of this heroic family, who sacrificed their lives in order to save the persecuted Jews, help you to understand that holiness and heroic deeds are achieved through fidelity in the small everyday things. I bless you from my heart.
The Ulmas’
liturgical feast day will be celebrated on July 7, the date of the parents’ 1935
wedding.