León XIV amplía el foco del martirio: también quienes mueren por enfrentarse a abusos de poder

In brief

Pope Leo XIV is expanding the understanding of martyrdom to include those who die while confronting abuses of power, according to a report by Elena Magariños for Vida Nueva.

The report notes that not all Christians who die for living the Gospel meet the classical canonical definition of a martyr. Some individuals are killed for challenging corrupt structures, reporting injustices, or facing criminal organizations, even when their killers do not act out of a specific hatred for the faith.