ICC Note: As previously reported, an elderly French priest named Jacques Hamel was murdered in July during a mass service. The process of honoring Hamel as a saint has officially begun, after Pope Francis made an exception to the standard five-year waiting period. Although usually the waiting period is mandatory, there have been a few exemptions, including St. Teresa of Calcutta, otherwise known as Mother Teresa.

By James Macintyre

10/03/2016 France (Christian Today) – The official process has begun for the beatification of Fr Jacques Hamel, the French priest who was killed by Islamic extremists while celebrating mass at his church in Normandy in July.

The Archdiocese of Rouen officially began an inquiry into making Hamel a saint, after Pope Francis sent a note waiving the traditional five year waiting period.

Rouen’s Archbishop Dominique Lebrun made the announcement after celebrating a mass yesterday to re-open the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, where Hamel was killed on 26 July.

A special service began with a procession through the town, before Archbishop Lebrun sprinkled holy water in the church as a sign of purification.

The liturgy at yesterday’s mass included scripture readings and special prayers focused on themes of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace.

The BBC reported that many Muslims attended the ceremony, which was relayed on a big screen in the town square.

Usually, the Vatican insists on a five-year waiting period after the death of a potential candidate for sainthood, but there have been some exceptions, modern examples of which include St Teresa of Calcutta and St John Paul II.

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