The beatification of the Ulma family highlights their sacrifice and role as a model of heroism during World War II.
On Sunday, the Vatican held an unprecedented beatification ceremony for the Ulma family, a Polish family of nine who were executed by the Nazis during World War II for sheltering Jews. In a historic first, an entire family was honored with beatification, a recognition granted to individuals or groups who have led lives of heroic virtue, often at the cost of their lives. The ceremony took place in the village of Markowa, southeastern Poland, where the Ulma family had lived.
During the Mass, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, papal envoy, read the Latin formula of beatification, which had been signed by Pope Francis just a month prior. A poignant painting of Jozef and his pregnant wife Wiktoria Ulma, alongside their children, was unveiled near the altar, and relics taken from their grave were processed to the altar. This act of beatification comes after the Vatican declared the Ulma family martyrs for their faith.
Pope Francis, speaking from St. Peter’s Square in Rome, praised the Ulma family as “a ray of light in the darkness” during the war. He encouraged people to follow their example of “doing good and in the service of those in need.” He invited the crowd to applaud the family for their extraordinary sacrifice, and the people in Markowa watched the address on giant screens.
The Ulma family, including the unborn child Wiktoria was carrying, was killed by German Nazi soldiers and local police on March 24, 1944. They had been sheltering eight Jewish people in their home, but after being betrayed, they were executed. Jozef Ulma, a farmer and Catholic activist, along with his wife and their six children, were martyred for their compassion and courage in hiding and protecting Jews during the Holocaust.