‘Angel of Dachau’ beatified
September 26, 2016
A German priest known as the “angel of Dachau” was beatified as a martyr in Würzburg, Germany, on September 24.
Blessed Engelmar Unzeitig (1911-45) entered the Marianhill Missionaries and was ordained to the priesthood in 1939. Assigned to a parish in Austria, he spoke out on behalf of Jews in his sermons.
Blessed Unzeitig was imprisoned in the Dachau concentration camp for the last four years of his life and voluntarily ministered to typhoid patients.
During his Angelus address on September 25, Pope Francis said, “Killed in hatred of the faith in the extermination camp of Dachau, he opposed hatred with love, and answered ferocity answered with meekness: may his example help us to be witnesses of charity and hope even in the midst of trials.”
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Further information:
- Pope Francis: Bl. Engelmar Unzeitig CMM a model of charity (Vatican Radio)
- Der "Engel von Dachau" Pater Unzeitig in Würzburg seliggesprochen (InFranken.de)
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Posted by: -
Sep. 26, 2016 11:14 PM ET USA
Contrary to what many people outside the church think, many Catholic priests & nuns did their best to protect Jews.
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Posted by: AgnesDay -
Sep. 26, 2016 2:33 PM ET USA
I read about this awesome priest. He had desired to go into the mission field, but his plans were stopped by his imprisonment by Der Fuhrer. He would baptize over 10,000 Russian soldiers also imprisoned at Dachau, where he would die of typhus. I have been invoking him for years.
