Cambodia Closes Diocesan Inquiry into Martyrs’ Cause for Beatification

Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, solemnly announced on March 18 the closure of the diocesan inquiry into the cause of beatification and canonization of Joseph Chhmar Salas and his 11 companions, concluding more than a decade of investigation into their lives and witness.

The closing ceremony was held at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Phnom Penh Thmey, in Phnom Penh. Six boxes containing around 6,000 pages of documentation were sealed and prepared for submission to Rome. Nearly 300 faithful, including clergy and laity from Cambodia’s three ecclesiastical jurisdictions, attended the event.

Presiding over the ceremony, Bishop Schmitthaeusler said the Servants of God remain powerful models of faith and hope. “Their concrete witness calls us to persevere in prayer and to show God’s mercy to one another,” he said.

The 12 Servants of God include Bishop Joseph Chhmar Salas, Fr. Joseph Chhmar Salem, Fr. Marcel Troung Sang Samronh, Fr. Pierre Rapin, Br. Damien, Fr. Jean-Badre, Sr. Jacueline Soeun, Sr. Lydie Nou Savan, Mr. Joseph Som Kim San, Mr. Joseph Thong, Mr. Pierre Chhum Somchay, and Mr. Pierre Ros En. who gave their lives during the years of conflict under the Khmer Rouge regime.

The bishop noted that the inquiry began in 2015 after Pope Francis granted the Nihil Obstat, allowing the Church in Cambodia to open the cause. Over the years, the tribunal conducted 22 major sessions and gathered testimonies from numerous witnesses.

The completed acts will now be sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints for further study before being presented to the Holy Father.

Fr. Paul Roeung Chatsirey, postulator of the cause, said the documentation includes both judicial records and detailed historical biographies. He emphasized that the process strictly followed Vatican norms.

Fr. Vincent Chretienne, who compiled historical materials, said the work was challenging due to the destruction of records during the Khmer Rouge era. “We must now safeguard these documents with great care,” he said.

Lay faithful also expressed deep spiritual impact. Clara Mao Savet, a laywoman from Kampong Thom, said the day held deep meaning for her: “It has strengthened my faith.” As a catechist, she looks to these Servants of God as examples in her daily life and prays that the Holy Spirit will grant courage to those seeking God, so that they may remain steadfast in sharing His love with the world.

Mrs. Yu Chhmar Prakod, a living witness and the biological sister of the late Bishop Chhmar Salas, expressed her profound gratitude to God. She noted that the fruits of faith enjoyed today have grown from the sacrifices made 50 years ago. “They are examples that give us the strength to continue proclaiming the Gospel and to find joy in our faith,” she said, urging the younger generation to imitate their spirit of mercy.

Five decades ago, Cambodia fell into the “Year Zero” of war, when religious practice was forbidden and the population endured starvation, forced labor, and terror. The Cambodian bishop and his companions persevered in faith and were killed alongside nearly two million fellow citizens.

After the 1990s, the Church began to rise again under the guidance of missionaries. Today, the Catholic community has grown to about 20,000 faithful, with 13 Khmer priests, two religious brothers, and nearly 20 religious sisters serving alongside approximately 150 international missionaries.