16 Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne recognized as saints
“The example of our new Saints, the Martyrs of Compiègne shine with serenity, fidelity and forgiveness,” wrote Fr. Hogan of the nuns killed during the French Revolution.
VATIAN CITY (PerMariam) — In a decree welcomed joyfully by many throughout the Catholic Church, Pope Francis announced Wednesday the “equipollent canonization” of the 16 Martyrs of Compiègne.
As promulgated by the Dicastery for the Causes of the Saints on December 18, Pope Francis confirmed the conclusions reached by the Dicastery regarding a number of men and women whose lives have been examined with a view to their canonization.
Among those whose causes took a step forward were the 16 Martyrs of Compiègne, martyred by the anti-Catholic forces of the French Revolution in 1794.
The Dicastery announced that the Pope wishes “to extend to the universal Church the cult of Blessed Thérèse of St. Augustine (born: Marie-Madeleine-Claudine Lidoine) and 15 companions, of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites of Compiègne, martyrs, killed in odium fidei on July 17, 1794, in Paris, France, by inscribing them in the catalog of Saints (Equipollent Canonization).”
Saints or blesseds?
Somewhat different to the normal style of canonizing a saint with a formal ceremony, an equipollent canonization {or equivalent} is one where the Pope waives the need for the customary formal process, citing instead the many decades or centuries of ardent devotion to an individual already venerated as saintly, and the widely recorded accounts of his saintly life.
The process has been used a number of times by various pontiffs over the centuries, and a number of prominent saints and Fathers of the Church have been officially recognized as saints in this manner. Figures equivalently canonized include St. Wenceslaus, St. Raymond Nonatus, Queen St. Margaret of Scotland, Hildegard of Bingen, Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher. Though still a rare process, Pope Francis has made much more frequent use of it than his predecessors.
As of the December 18 decree, the 16 Martyrs of Compiègne are now revered as saints by the Catholic Church, with their feast being held on July 17.
Father John Hogan, himself a member of the Discalced Carmelites, wrote Dec 18 that the Compiègne Martyrs’ “experience & example is relevant for us as we Christians are now challenged on a societal level, & political forces are enshrining in law various measures to silence & persecute us.” However, relatively few Catholics are aware of these noble martyrs in contrast to the thriving cultus which a number of other saints have attracted.
“The example of our new Saints, the Martyrs of Compiègne shine with serenity, fidelity & forgiveness, wrote Fr. Hogan. “They conquered hatred by love. As did all the Martyrs of that terrible Terror. Let them be our models of behaviour & life. So today, we in Carmel celebrate, but let the whole Church celebrate: love conquers all fear & hatred.”
Who are the Martyrs of Compiègne?
On July 17, 1794, eleven nuns, three lay sisters and two tertiaries were executed at the guillotine by the anti-Catholic forces of the French Revolution in Paris.
The Reign of Terror’s increasing attack on the Catholic Church paid particular attention to Her clergy and religious, outlawing the practice of religious life in 1790. One of the many such houses which fell under their greedy gaze was the flourishing Carmelite monastery of Compiègne, north of Paris, which was renowned for its “fervor and fidelity.”
The entire community refused the demand made by the Revolutionary armed forces to leave the monastery and be “liberated” from their life – namely, to break their vows. They steadfastly refused to leave the Convent, and became wards of the state while remaining in the monastery.
At Easter of 1792, the Revolutionary forces plundered even more churches and outlawed the wearing of a religious habit. Still the community refused to cave. But in the months that followed, the community made a consecration of themselves, freely offering themselves up to martyrdom if it meant an end to the persecution the Church was undergoing.
Proposed by the Mother Superior Thérèse of St. Augustine, their desire was to “offer [themselves] in holocaust to appease the wrath of God and so that the divine peace brought by Christ on earth is returned to the Church and to the State.”
In August 1792, the convents were ordered to be forcefully closed, and the Mother Superior arranged for the community to live in hiding, dispersed across the city of Paris. Still united by their self-sacrificial wish, they recited a prayer of consecration daily from November 27, 1792, praying that their lives might be an offering for the salvation of France.
Living incognito with friends and appearing in disguise, the nuns practiced their life of prayer and penance for over a year, continuing to meet out of sight of the authorities.
But on June 21, 1794 soldiers of the Revolution raided their abodes, and discovered letters which they said evidenced “crimes” the nuns had committed against the Revolutionary state. Summarily arrested, the nuns were taken first to the prison of the Visitation, and then on July 10 to the prison of the Conciergerie, which had been the last resting place for many a Catholic priest or religious murdered during the Reign of Terror.
At a show trial on July 17, the religious were sentenced to death.
As recounted by their biographer, one of the sisters – serving as their legal defense since none was granted them – encouraged her brethren:
“My dear Mother, my sisters, you have just heard the accuser declare that we are going to be put to death because of our attachment to our holy religion. We all desire this testimony and venerate it. Let immortal thanks be given to Him who first opened the way to Calvary for us. Oh, what happiness to die for our God!”
Song at the scaffold
The fervent and devout community of Compiègne is perhaps most well known for their heroic witness of the Catholic Faith at the guillotine: indeed it has inspired many including secular composers.
Having spent their many months in hiding in secular clothes, the community resumed their religious habits for their final moments.
Whilst being taken to the scaffold, the nuns sang the hours of the Divine Office from their prison cart. The sweet chant of Vespers and Compline rang out across those who had gathered to witness the insatiable guillotine at work, and accounts document that a particular silence fell over the usually unruly crowds.
After singing the Veni Creator Spiritus and the Te Deum the community ascended the scaffold one by one.
As noted in the detailed account provided by Professor Bush: “Each nun knelt before the prioress, renewed her vows, kissed a tiny terracotta statuette of Madonna and Child, and then mounted the scaffold high.”
The first to be executed was Sister Constance, who had been prohibited by the Revolutionaries from making her final vows. Her final action was to ask her superior for permission to die – a permission granted by the Mother. Mother Thérèse was the final martyr of the community.
Ten days after their martyrdom, the chief architect of the Reign of Terror, Maximilien Robespierre, was himself executed, with French Catholics attributing this to the intervention of God and the sacrifice of the nuns of Compiègne.
Their names are as follows:
Mother Thérèse of St. Augustine: prioress, born in Paris on September 22, 1752.
Sister Euphrasia of the Immaculate Conception: born in Bourth (Eure) on May 12, 1736.
Sister San Luigi: sub-prior, born in Belfort on December 7, 1751.
Sister Annamaria of Jesus Crucified: born in Paris on December 9, 1715.
Sister Carlotta of the Resurrection: born in Mouy (Oise) on September 16, 1715.
Sister Enrichetta of Jesus: born in Paris on June 18, 1745.
Sister Teresa of the Heart of Mary: born in Reims (Marne) on January 18, 1742.
Sister Teresa of S. Ignatius: born in Compiègne on April 4, 1743.
Sister Giulia Luisa of Jesus: born in Évreux (Eure) on December 30, 1741.
Sister Maria Enrichetta of Providence: born in Cajarc (Lot) on June 16, 1760.
Sister Costanza: novice, born in Saint- Denis (Seme) on May 28, 1765.
Sister Mary of the Holy Spirit: born in Fresne-Mazancourt (Somme) on August 3, 1742.
Sister Santa Marta: born in Bannes (Sarthe) on October 2, 1741.
Sister Elisabetta Giulia of San Francesco Saverio: born in Lignières (Aube) on January 13, 1764.
Sister Caterina Soiron: tertiary, born in Compiègne on February 2, 1742.
Sister Teresa Soiron: tertiary, born in Compiègne on January 23, 1748.
As the number of miracles obtained through their intercession continued to amass, the 16 martyrs were beatified on May 27, 1906 in St. Peter’s Basilica. In 2022, Pope Francis opened the process of the equivalent canonization, which has now concluded.
Commenting further on the Catholic persecution of the Revolution, Fr. Hogan commented how the “red lust of violence settled quite comfortably with calculating rationale which possessed the leaders of the revolution (a warning to us all!) And many innocents were slaughtered in the service of that rationale. It was a violence that claimed everyone.”
“The example of our new Saints, the Martyrs of Compiègne shine with serenity, fidelity and forgiveness,” he added. “They conquered hatred by love. As did all the Martyrs of that terrible Terror. Let them be our models of behavior & life. So today, we in Carmel celebrate, but let the whole Church celebrate: love conquers all fear & hatred.”
Thank you for this wonderful article. May the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne intercede for us to remain faithful to the end 🙏🙏
Saintly Carmelites of Compiegne, pray for us sinners!