Pope Francis formally declares French priest murdered by ISIS fanatics a martyr…and suggests he’ll one day be made a saint

POPE Francis has declared the French priest who was murdered by ISIS extremists is a martyr - and suggested he may one day be made a saint.

The Pope said anyone who murders in the name of God is "satanic" and condemned the killing of an elderly priest who was stabbed to death at the altar in northern France.

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In a forthright homily from the chapel of the Vatican he said the world should have "the courage to tell the truth: killing in the name of God is satanic".

Pope Francis described Rev Jacques Hamel as a martyr a number of times, adding: "He accepted his martyrdom there on the altar.

"He is a martyr and martyrs are beatified."

The Reverend was knifed to death in a sick attack by ISIS fanatics in July.

Pope Francis' comments strongly suggest he is planning to make Rev Hamel a saint - as beatification is the first major step in the path towards sainthood.

For a person to be beatified, the Catholic Church normally requires a miracle be attributed to them.

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Pope Francis, who has developed a tradition for "jumping over procedural hurdles", appears to have wavered this tradition in Rev Hamel's case.

He spoke to a special Mass of around 80 Catholics from Rouen, where the 85-year-old was killed.

The Reverend was forced to kneel at the altar by two men who barged into his church in Saint-Étienne.

They then slit his throat while chanting in Arabic.

Father Hamel reportedly yelled "Satan, get out" at the attackers before he was murdered.

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Describing this, Pope Francis said: "What a pleasure it would be if all religious confessions would say: 'To kill in the name of God is satanic'."

The Pope said Father Hamel was just the latest in a long line of Christian martyrs.

He said across the world there are Christians "who are murdered, tortured, imprisoned, have their throats slit because they do not deny Jesus Christ".

Dominique Leburn, the archbishop of Rouen, said the Pope told him the French priest would from now on be "venerated" - a further sign he will almost certainly be sainted.

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