Ignacio Maloyan was born on April 15, 1869, in Mardin, Turkey, into a deeply believing family. From a very young age, he showed an inclination toward spiritual life and was sent to the monastery of Bzommar, in Lebanon, where he received his training for the priesthood.
On June 29, 1896, on the solemnity of Corpus Christi, he was ordained a priest. It was no small detail: his life was marked by the Eucharist, a sacrament that years later he would celebrate for the last time in dramatic circumstances.
Early Years of Ministry
After his ordination, he was sent to Egypt, where he carried out his pastoral work with zeal and dedication. His simplicity and closeness made him a very beloved shepherd among the faithful, and his firmness in the faith distinguished him in times of difficulty.
Archbishop of Mardin
In 1911, the Church called him to serve as archbishop of his native city. He was consecrated bishop on October 22 of that year. As a shepherd, he devoted himself to the formation of priests, visited communities, reopened schools, and restored churches that had been abandoned. His episcopal style was characterized by closeness, commitment to his people, and firm defense of the faith.
The Persecution Against Christians
In the midst of World War I, on June 3, 1915, Monsignor Maloyan was arrested along with hundreds of faithful, under false accusations of hiding weapons. For days he suffered brutal tortures and received pressures to abandon the Catholic faith and convert to Islam. But he remained unshakable in his fidelity to Christ.
Last Farewell and Testimony of Faith
Before his execution, he was able to address his faithful. He encouraged them to remain firm in the faith and, with a piece of bread he had obtained, celebrated a last Eucharist, distributing Viaticum among those present. It was an act of pastoral love that sealed his definitive surrender.
When he was asked one last time to renounce Christ, he uttered words that are today an emblem of Christian strength:
“I consider the shedding of my blood for my faith as the sweetest desire of my heart, because I know perfectly well that if I am tortured for love of Him who died for me, I will be among those who will have joy and bliss, and I will contemplate my Lord and my God on high”.
Martyrdom and Recognition by the Church
On June 11, 1915, on the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ignacio Maloyan was shot. His martyrdom shone as a luminous testimony of fidelity and hope in eternal life.
Pope Saint John Paul II beatified him on October 7, 2001, presenting him to the entire Church as an example of a shepherd who does not abandon his flock and of a disciple who gives his life for Christ. And this October 19, Pope Leo XIV will solemnly canonize him, confirming his example as a holy martyr of the faith and a model of fidelity to the last consequences. Today, his memory remains alive as a seed of faith and hope for all persecuted Christians.
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