Pope Honors Bishop Who Died Rather Than Convert to Islam

Blessed Flavianus Michael Malke

On Saturday, August 29, Pope Francis declared the first Syrian Catholic bishop, Flavianos Melke who was killed in Turkey one hundred years ago to the day, a martyr. Three weeks earlier, Pope Francis approved Melke's beatification after it was determined that the bishop was killed in hatred of the faith. The Pope noted that Melke's example is especially