In view of the Canonisation next 20 October in the Vatican, the General Postulation of the Friars Minor has released the image of the Franciscan Martyred Saints and Maronites of Damascus. A graphic work by the Italian illustrator Andrea Pucci that tells us about a fraternity around the Eucharist in which not only the seven Friars Minor participate, but also the Massabki laity. Saint Manuel Ruiz, superior of the convent, wearing a red stole, holds the pyx with the Eucharistic species, which is the centre of the composition. On the right, next to Ruiz, are Saint Carmelo Bolta, vicar of the community, in the act of displaying the Jerusalem cross identifying the Custody of the Holy Land and, kneeling, Saint Pedro Soler, one of the community's youngest friars. On the left, instead, are the three holy brothers Massabki: Francis, in the act of displaying the coat of arms of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate, Saint Mooti with the palm and Saint Raphael, the youngest of the three with folded hands, as a reminder of his love for prayer. Crowning the figures in the foreground are all the other Franciscan martyrs, to each of whom an attempt has been made to attribute features as close as possible to their real physiognomy and respective ages. As a decorative enrichment and almost as a litany, the names of each one are written in Latin characters, corresponding to their respective figures. This is a reference to the 1926 painting made by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary where the names, graphically very small, were written in the individual haloes. The colour of the sky was chosen for the background. At the bottom, faithfully reproduced from old 19th century photographs, is the city of Damascus, the place of martyrdom, and the community over which the martyr saints exercise their special protection. Read More