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.

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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.

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International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”