International
The pope proclaims Father Manuel Ruiz López and six other Spanish Franciscans saints
Pope Francis proclaimed saints this Sunday the Spanish Manuel Ruiz López and seven other Franciscan friars, six of them Spanish, murdered in Syria in 1860, during a year of persecution and massacres against Christians.
Francis used the Latin formula as usual to proclaim his holiness and ask that they be inscribed in the books of the saints of the Church.
“We continue the work of Jesus in the world. In this light we can remember the disciples of the Gospel who are canonized today. Throughout the eventful history of humanity they were faithful servants, men and women who served in martyrdom and joy, like Brother Manuel Ruiz López and his companions,” said the pope at the canonization ceremony in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, in the presence of faithful.
Manuel Ruiz (Burgos, 1804) was murdered in the city of Damascus in 1860, when Christians in Syria and Lebanon suffered massacres by members of the Druse community.
At that time he was superior to the convent of San Pablo and was the victim of the fury of a multitude of Druss who on the night of July 9, 1860 broke into the Christian mud of Damascus. A few 30,000 people lived there, thousands of them were massacred and some took refuge in the monastery of Ruiz and the rest of the minor friars.
With him they beheaded seven Franciscans today also canonized, including the Spaniards Carmelo Bolta, Nicanor Ascansio, Nicolás María Alberca, Pedro Nolasco Soler, Francisco Piñazo Peñalver and Juan Fernández, and the Austrian Engelbert Kolland.
The religious received a proposal from the Ottoman governor of the time to take refuge in his residence, but they rejected it when they did not want to leave the people who sought to protect themselves in the convent alone.
Other canonized
The Maronite lay Francesco Massabki, Mooti Massabki and Raffaele Massabki were also canonized at the ceremony. They were three brothers from Damascus closely linked to the community of the Franciscans who were in the convent of St. Paul along with the rest of the friars, where they also died murdered in the same massacre.
This Sunday, the Italian priest Giuseppe Allamano (1851-1926), founder of the Institute of the Missionaries of Consolata and the Missionary Sisters of Consolata, was also proclaimed saints, the Italian Elena Guerra (1835-1914), founder of the Congregation of Oblates of the Holy Spirit – known as the Sisters of Santa Zita-, and the Canadian Marie-Léonie Paradis (1840-1912), founder of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family.
Among those attending the ceremony were authorities such as Félix Bolaños, Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Spanish Government’s Courts.
International
German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday that trust between the United States and its Western allies has been “lost,” warning that the damage could persist beyond the presidency of Donald Trump.
“The rupture is very deep, and the loss of trust in U.S. great power policy is significant—not only among its allies, but also, as I observe, globally,” Steinmeier said during a speech in Berlin marking the 75th anniversary of Germany’s Foreign Ministry.
Referring to the future of transatlantic relations, he stated that “there is no return to the situation before January 20, 2025,” the date marking the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.
“Even a future U.S. administration will no longer be able to resume the role of a benevolent hegemon guaranteeing a liberal international order,” added Steinmeier, who previously served as Germany’s foreign minister.
He also criticized the war against Iran, describing it as “contrary to international law” and calling it “a political mistake with serious consequences.”
“This war is avoidable and unnecessary,” he said.
Although the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s remarks reflect a broader concern within Germany, aligning with the government’s cautious stance while going further in tone.
International
Trump claims talks with Iran as G7 meets to address global tensions
U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States has held talks with Iran—a claim denied by Tehran—and has temporarily paused his threat to target the country’s electrical infrastructure.
In his first overseas trip since the United States and Israel launched their offensive on February 28, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to address key global issues, including the situation in the Middle East, according to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven will meet in Cernay-la-Ville, close to Versailles, on the outskirts of Paris.
During the meeting, Rubio will hold discussions with his counterparts on “the war between Russia and Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and threats to global peace and stability,” Pigott said.
France currently holds the presidency of the G7, whose members also include the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Although all G7 nations are close allies of the United States, none has offered explicit support for Washington’s military actions against Iran, a stance that has reportedly frustrated Trump.
Last Saturday, G7 foreign ministers called for an “immediate and unconditional end” to Iranian attacks against U.S. allies in the Middle East.
International
Pentagon to deploy 3,000 troops to Persian Gulf as Middle East tensions escalate
The Pentagon is planning to deploy nearly 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Persian Gulf, according to two senior officials cited Tuesday by Spanish newspaper El País.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah warned it would confront any attempt at occupation following Israel’s announcement that its military will take control of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, located about 30 kilometers from the border.
In recent hours, the Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes on Beirut, while Iran and Hezbollah responded with attacks on Israel, leaving at least six people with minor injuries in Tel Aviv.
The escalation comes as global markets react to renewed instability. The price of oil rose again above $100 per barrel after a brief decline the previous day, following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a five-day truce on attacks targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Despite the announcement, Iranian authorities reported that two projectiles struck a gas pipeline in Khorramshahr and administrative buildings at a gas facility in Isfahan early Tuesday.
German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions
Trump claims talks with Iran as G7 meets to address global tensions
Pentagon to deploy 3,000 troops to Persian Gulf as Middle East tensions escalate
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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